Taliban Commander Killed in Mosque Shootout

NATO says a heavily armed Taliban commander has been killed in a shootout at a mosque in eastern Afghanistan.

NATO officials say international and Afghan forces went Saturday to a compound in Wardak province to look for the commander, who fled to a nearby mosque as troops approached.

Security forces surrounded the mosque and ordered him to surrender. But he refused to do so and opened fire as the shootout started.

Officials say the Taliban commander was armed with grenades and rounds of ammunition. He was wanted for buying weapons and components for explosive devices, and for helping plan attacks.

NATO also says a U.S. soldier died Friday from a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

In the Afghan capital, Kabul, a rocket landed Saturday near the Afghan Defense ministry. It was unclear if there were casualties.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.