US Marines patrol through a village in Nawa district in Afghanistan's Helmand province, 04 Jul 2009Fighting in eastern Afghanistan Saturday left two U.S. soldiers and 30 suspected Taliban insurgents dead.

Localauthorities say the fighting began in Paktika province, when a truckexploded near a government base in Zirok district, killing the twoAmerican soldiers and wounding four others.

Officials sayTaliban insurgents began firing on the base, prompting U.S.-led forcesto call in airstrikes that killed 30 militants.

In southernHelmand province Saturday, the United States is pressing forward with amajor offensive to drive out Taliban insurgents and secure the areaahead of a presidential vote in Afghanistan in August.

About4,000 U.S. Marines are taking part in the operation, which includesdeveloping remote parts of Helmand province in a bid to win over localAfghanis.

The offensive marks the first majoroperation under U.S. President Barack Obama's strategy to defeat anincreasingly violent Taliban insurgency.

Mr. Obama has said theultimate goal is to make sure al-Qaida terrorists and their affiliatesno longer have safe havens from which to attack Americans.

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