U.S.-Led Assault on Afghan Insurgents Leaves 40 Dead

American warplanes pounded a suspected Taliban safe haven in southern Afghanistan in an assault that left about 40 suspected insurgents and a policeman dead and five U.S. soldiers wounded, the U.S. military said today.

Two American CH-47 helicopters were damaged during 11 hours of fighting Tuesday in the rebel-held area between the southern provinces of Kandahar and Zabol, a U.S. military statement said.

“Coalition warplanes and attack helicopters were hammering enemy positions throughout the evening,” it said.

Gen. Salim Khan, commander of about 400 Afghan policemen who also took part in the fighting, said the bodies of 46 suspected rebels had been found and 23 guerrillas had been captured.

Hundreds of people have been killed in a surge of violence in the last few months, raising security concerns for parliamentary elections set for Sept. 18.

In a phone conversation Tuesday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai reportedly asked Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to halt what Afghan authorities say has been a stream of guerrillas coming across the border with the tacit consent of Pakistani authorities.

According to a statement by Karzai’s office, Musharraf “assured [the Afghan leader] of Pakistan’s continued support.”