Kabul, November 17, SPA -- Twenty-three Taliban were killed during a U.S.-led coalition operation aimed at disrupting a weapons transfer in southern Afghanistan, thecoalition said Saturday. At least four police officers diedin a separate clash. A truck apparently full of Taliban weapons exploded duringthe operation in Helmand province's Garmsir district. Thecoalition said it didn't know what caused the truck toexplode. Coalition troops detained 11 people suspected of beingpart of a weapons running operation. In the western province of Ghor, meanwhile, between fourand nine police were killed Friday after militants attackedthem during a police operation in Shahark district, Gen. Shah Jahon Noori, the provincial police chief, saidSaturday. Noori said an unknown number of police were missing afterthe attack and that five were wounded. More than 5,800 people have been killed in insurgencyrelated violence in 2008, according to an Associated Presscount based on figures from Western and Afghan officials.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/500516