Twenty five Taliban insurgents including a key commander of the outfit were killed in clash with Afghan police in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, a statement of the Afghan Interior Ministry said Thursday.

"Taliban insurgents opened fire on police patrol in Marja district on Wednesday, injuring one police constable. Policemen encountered, resultantly leaving 25 rebels including Mullah Naqibullah dead," the statement added.

According to the statement, Mullah Naqibullah, who escaped twice from government jails, was an important military figure of Taliban and had organized several subversive activities in the past.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hussein Andiwal, the provincial police chief said the clashes between Afghan police and Taliban militants happened when Taliban insurgents ambushed an opium poppy eradication in Marja district of Helmand province.

Police had also seized a large number of arms and ammunition including 10 pieces of Kalashnikov rifles from the rebels during the firefight which last more than one hours.

Taliban purported spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi disputed the statement. In talks with media outlets from undisclosed locations, he said that 15 policemen were killed in gun battle and only one insurgent sustained injury.

There was no independent verification of the casualties on both sides as either side often exaggerates the figure of casualties inflicted on warring part.

Conflicts and Taliban-related insurgency had left more than 6, 000 people dead in 2007, while observers predict more militants attack in 2008 in the post-Taliban Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2008)