KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, October 12, SPA -- An Afghan official says morethan 100 militants have been killed in two separate battlesin southern Afghanistan. Daud Ahamdi, the spokesman for Helmand province'sgovernor, says 62 militants were killed early Sunday byAfghan soldiers and NATO air strikes after they launched asurprise attack on the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Associated Press quoted Ahmadi as saying that another 40 militants were killed in three days of fighting in Helmand's Nad Ali district, which has beenunder militant control until now. That battle endedSaturday. Ahmadi says there were no casualties among Afghan orforeign troops. Southern Afghanistan is the center of the Taliban-ledinsurgency, which has claimed more than 4,700 lives, mostof them militants.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/596998