Kabul - A Canadian soldier was killed by Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, while 10 insurgents were killed or wounded and up to two dozen more captured elsewhere in the country, officials said Sunday.

Master Corporal Joshua Brian Roberts died of wounds sustained in combat in Zherai district of southern Kandahar province on Saturday, the Canadian defence ministry said in a statement.

More than 2,500 Canadian soldiers are stationed in Kandahar province, purported to be the main headquarters of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. The Canadian soldiers are part of more than 50,000 NATO-led troops from 40 countries.

Since their deployment in 2003, the Canadian forces lost 89 soldiers mostly in Kandahar, while a diplomat was also killed in the same province.

Aghan army forces killed or wounded more than 10 militants in Taqab district of north-eastern province of Kapisa, the defence ministry said in a statement.

It said three Pakistani nationals were arrested with explosives and 11 other armed militants were captured in southern Kandahar province.

Mullah Bari Gul, Taliban's appointed governor for southern Uruzgan province, and six other Taliban militants were captured by army forces in the province, the statement said.

It did not provide the exact dates for the incidents and in case arrest of the foreign militants, it did not say where it happened.

US-led coalition forces also said in a statement on Sunday that they detained three militants during an operation in Urgun district of south-eastern province of Paktika.

Due to remoteness of the areas, where Afghan and international forces are operating, it is difficult to verify independently the death tolls for the militants or the involvement of the detained individuals with the Taliban and al-Qaeda organizations. (dpa)