U.S. troops battle rebels

Adi Ghar, Afghanistan

In the heaviest fighting in months, U.S. and coalition troops launched a raid this week against Afghan rebels who fired on U.S. helicopters. At least 18 rebels were killed, the U.S. said. About 80 men loyal to former mujahedin commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are believed to be hiding in caves near the border with Pakistan. Hekmatyar wants to overthrow the government of President Hamid Karzai, whom he sees as a U.S. puppet. Last December, he issued a call for recruits in the border region to “fight our jihad until foreign troops are gone from Afghanistan and Afghans have set up an Islamic government.”