In Afghanistan, at least 25 militants suspected to be linked to Pakistani Taliban were killed after five days of fighting in eastern Nuristan province bordering Pakistan. Zaman Mamozai, the head of the Afghan Border Police for the country’s eastern region said two border police officers were dead and three wounded as they repelled a force of Pakistani Taliban who appeared to have crossed the border to carve out a new home in Nuristan Province. General Mamozai said that large numbers of Taliban were involved in the fight and they came to Barg-e-Matal from the Pakistani areas of Swat, Bajaur and Chitral and included Chechens and Arabs as well as Pakistanis. He said that his forces had received strong backing from Nuristani residents who apparently did not want the Taliban to take up residence in their area. Meanwhile, five Afghan police officers were killed in Paktia Province in southeastern Afghanistan when Taliban ambushed a joint force of Afghan National Police and NATO soldiers.