A NATO statement says security forces were searching for a senior Taliban leader when they came under attack near a remote compound in Sherzad district of Nangarhar province on Friday night.

Saturday's statement says the insurgents died in the subsequent gunbattle.

NATO is trying to determine whether the Taliban leader the troops were searching for was among those killed.

Mohammad Hassan, a district chief in the area, gave a slightly higher estimate of the deaths. He says at least 18 Taliban were killed in the fighting, including a local commander.