Gunbattles rage for second day in Kandahar, 18 killed

KANDAHAR, May 8 (agencies): Sporadic gunbattles raged for a second day in Kandahar on Sunday as Afghan forces fought to snuff out Taliban attacks that have killed 18 people, including 14 insurgents. Nearly 50 people have been wounded in 24 hours since militiamen armed with suicide vests, guns and rocket-propelled grenades besieged targets including the governor's office, police stations and the local intelligence headquarters. The attacks are the most significant since the Taliban last week announced the start of its annual spring offensive and vowed to step up their fight after US commandos killed Osama bin Laden in neighbouring Pakistan. As the biggest city in the south and the Taliban's birthplace, control of Kandahar is seen as key to US-led efforts to end the near 10-year Taliban insurgency and hand the Afghan government responsibility for national security by 2014.