Kabul - NATO forces killed more than 20 suspected Taliban militants during a two-day operation in central Afghanistan, the alliance said in a statement Monday.

The insurgents were killed in combat supported by air assaults on Thursday in Wardak province, 60 kilometres west of Kabul.

A statement by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said that the militants were pushed south from Jalrez to Nerkh district of the same province in the first engagement.

"Upon their arrival in Nerkh, the ISAF soldiers once again received heavy enemy fire," the statement said, adding, "After 10 hours of fighting, ISAF troops countered the insurgent threat and secured both the Jalrez and Nerkh Districts."

No ISAF soldiers were killed during the engagements, it added.

Taliban militants have edged closer to Kabul and launched attacks around the capital city, which houses thousands of foreign troops and is the seat of the Western-backed Afghan government.

Following their ouster from power in late 2001, Taliban militants turned southern and eastern regions of the country into their main strongholds in the fight against Afghan and international forces.

Taliban-led attacks are on the rise despite the presence of around 70,000 foreign troops deployed to Afghanistan from 40 nations. The conflict so far this year has left more than 4,000 people dead. (dpa)