SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

Afghan troops, assisted by Canadian military forces, focused on villages in the area of Kandahar province where 400 rebels escaped from jail last week, CNN reported.

Thousands of soldiers and police officers began moving into the Arghandab district Wednesday for the operation that's expected to last three days, said Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi.

NATO and Afghan forces dropped leaflets that warned residents to stay inside their homes if fighting broke out nearby.

Meanwhile, the British Defense Ministry reported four British soldiers were killed in another part of southern Afghanistan Tuesday, The New York Times reported.

"The soldiers were taking part in a deliberate operation east of Lashkar Gah when the vehicle in which they were traveling was caught in an explosion", the Defense Ministry said in a statement issued in London.

 BREAKING STORIES

Slain Taliban leader was Pakistan officer

Nine Afghan militants killed in clashes

Crisis in Afghanistan coming, report says

Military briefs politicians on terrorism

Report increases airstrike civilian toll

Multiparty election held in Maldives

Suicide bomber strikes in Pakistan

Deadly quakes rock Kyrgyzstan, Tibet

Zardari comments welcomed in India

Skydivers parachute over Everest

Afghan 'decisive victory' called unlikely

Official: NATO will fail against Taliban

Suspected drone attack kills at least 10

Pakistan claims right to nuclear deal

Report: Karzai seeks Mullah Omar's return

Pakistan reportedly almost caught Zawahiri

Spokesman: Pakistani Taliban chief alive

Suspected U.S. drone strike kills four

53 rebels, 5 soldiers dead in Sri Lanka

Pakistani spy agency has new chief