In Afghanistan, army and US-led coalition forces claimed to have killed more than 20 Taliban militants in eastern province of Paktia. NATO-led International Assistance Security Force (ISAF) said in a statement that the combined forces were deployed to Zadran district as part of an operation to disrupt the activity of the Haqqani network in the region. The area is known for Haqqani Network safe haven and used to stage attacks into Kabul and the Khost-Gardez pass. The troops were attacked by dozens of militants using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades but an air weapons team suppressed the enemy resulting in casualties on their side. The Haqqani group, headed by Sarajuddin Haqqani, believed to have links with the Taliban, is mainly active in eastern provinces along the border with Pakistan. The group's headquarters is based inside the north Waziristan of Pakistan.Meanwhile, residents in the central Maidan Wardak province today protested against the killing of 3 civilians and the arrest of 5 others by NATO forces in Zarin Khil area last night. Protesters blocked the Kabul-Ghazni highway to prevent the traffic. The protesters who were shouting anti-American and anti-government slogans, said the murdered civilians were university students in capital Kabul who had come to the province for holidays.