In the heaviest fighting in nine months, United States and coalition forces are fighting a pitched battle against a large group of rebel fighters in a mountainous region of southeastern Afghanistan. Col. Roger King, a spokesman for the United States military, said today that at least 18 enemy fighters had been killed, while no coalition casualties had been reported. The fighting, which broke out on Monday night, was still continuing this morning, he said. As many as 80 rebel fighters aligned with the former Mujahadeen commander Gulbuddin Helmatyar were lodged in caves and mountain hideouts near the border with Pakistan and had fired on Apache helicopters that went to investigate their presence, Colonel King said. Full Story