U.S. conducts air strikes as fighting rages in Afghan province

KABUL: U.S aircraft carried out a dozen strikes in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday as fierce battles continued with Taliban insurgents around the town of Marjah near the provincial capital, a U.S. army spokesman said.

The strikes came a day after one U.S. service member was killed and two other Americans and a number of Afghan special forces soldiers were wounded during operations in the province, which has seen months of heavy fighting.