The NATO-led force have killed two Taliban leaders during an operation in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, the military alliance said in a statement issued in Kabul Thursday.

Mullah Abdul Matin and his associate Mullah Karim Agha were killed on February? 18 in Helmand, a known hotbed of Taliban militancy, it said.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), deployed with UN mandate for fighting militants and ensuring security in the war-ravaged country, said the successful attack brought the Taliban networks "another severe setback."

It further added that there was no civilian casualties reported from the operation.

A 43,000-strong multi-national force are deployed in Afghanistan under the flag of NATO-led ISAF.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2008)