KABUL, Afghanistan, March 23, SPA -- Afghan and NATO forces killed more than 40 insurgents in a joint air and ground battle insouthern Afghanistan, a security official said Sunday. Separately, two soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition diedafter hitting a roadside bomb, the Associated Press reported. Troops seized dozens of weapons _ includingrocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns _ afterSaturday's battle in Dihrawud, a district in Uruzganprovince, the Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement. It said many militants were killed, including a commander,but provided no figures. An official at the ministry, speaking on condition ofanonymity because he was not authorized to release detailsabout the battle, put the number of dead at more than 40 . Also Saturday, U.S.-led coalition troops hit a roadsidebomb in Kandahar province as they were conducting asecurity patrol with Afghan troops, the coalition said in astatement. Two soldiers died, it said, without releasingtheir nationalities.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/539009