Updated

Afghan and U.S.-led forces killed 30 suspected militants and arrested at least 60 others during an offensive in a southern province, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Saturday.

The fighting occurred Friday in southern Helmand (search) province, spokesman Gen. Mohammed Saher Azimi (search) said.

The offensive came a week before landmark legislative elections that Taliban (search) rebels have vowed to disrupt. The militants have stepped up attacks across much of the country, leaving more than 1,200 people dead in the past six months.