Kabul - Afghan police backed by NATO troops killed nine Taliban militants in a fight in southern Afghanistan, police said Tuesday.

The militants were killed in Nawa district of the province after they attacked an Afghan police checkpoint in the area on Monday, Assadullah Shirzad, provincial police chief, said.

NATO-led British troops stationed in the province rushed to the scene of the battle and engaged the militants, Shirzad said, adding that there were no casualties among the Afghan police or NATO forces.

Shirzad said the combined forces recovered the militants' bodies along with their AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

The Taliban said in a statement posted on their website that only three of their fighters were killed and another three wounded.

The statement said 19 British soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. The Taliban often give different accounts of their clashes with the combined forces. In many cases their information is proven to be exaggerated or falsified.

Southern Helmand province, which has a long border with Pakistan, has been the main hub for Taliban activities. The province witnessed the fiercest battle between the insurgents and British-led international forces in the region this year. (dpa)