Australian troops fight off Taliban attack

Courtesy of Australian News Service

AUSTRALIAN forces in Afghanistan have fought off another coordinated attack by Taliban extremists, the second in two days.

Five Australian troops were doing reconstruction work in an alley in the Oruzgan province at about midday yesterday (Afghanistan time) when they were attacked with rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.

"An aggressive and precise response by our soldiers repelled the Taliban attack,'' Defence spokesman Brigadier Andrew Nikolic said.

"The fighting was reported as being close and intense and it was the firepower, mobility and protection the soldiers had at their disposal that again proved the difference in this contact.''

No Australians were injured, but Brigadier Nikolic said the Taliban force was believed to have sustained injuries.

The Australian soldiers involved in the attack were providing security to the Reconstruction Task Force, which has been rebuilding in the area.

The men were attacked from multiple positions and the conflict lasted for about 90 minutes, defence said.

Helicopter gunships were called in to help protect the troops along with light armoured vehicles.

However, none of the Australian vehicles were damaged and the reconstruction work was not disrupted.

There was a similar attack in the same area on Wednesday.

That attack lasted for about two hours but was also unsuccessful, with no Australian troops wounded, no vehicles damaged and no disruption to the reconstruction task.