Taliban militants fighting Afghan government raided Counter-Narcotic Police in the poppy growing Helmand province in south Afghanistan and police encountered, leaving 20 people including 18 insurgents killed, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said Wednesday.

"Personnel of Counter-Narcotic Police with the support of soldiers from national army were busy in destroying poppy fields in Nadalid district Tuesday when a group of militants opened fire and the troops responded during which 18 rebels and two Afghan soldiers were killed," Ahmadi told Xinhua.

He also added that two foreign nationals who served as advisors were injured in the firefight, but their nationalities could not be identified.

Afghan government launched anti-narcotic campaign in Helmand province early weekend and so far hundreds of hectares of poppy-fields, according to officials, have been destroyed.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2009)