KABUL: A bomb attack Friday against a convoy of French troops killed one soldier and injured many Afghans near the blast, while heavy fighting in southern Afghanistan killed about 75 Taliban fighters and six civilians, officials said.

The attack in western Kabul blew the windows out of a civilian bus and set at least one vehicle on fire. At least six civilians were in serious condition, and many others had lesser injuries, said Zormai Rasa, the local police chief.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force confirmed that one French soldier was killed in the blast, but a spokesman said he had no other information.

Heavy fighting in the south, meanwhile, killed around 75 Taliban militants over the last 48 hours, the U.S.-led coalition said. Six civilians were also killed after Taliban fighters sought shelter in their homes, which were then targeted by air strikes, an Afghan official said.

Air strikes were called in against ``anti-coalition militants'' in the Garmsir district of Helmand province early Friday, killing about 40 fighters, the coalition said.

The six civilians, including women and children, died in a separate battle in Helmand province's Gereshk region on Wednesday.

In yet another newly reported battle, more than three -dozen Taliban fighters were reported killed in a battle Wednesday in Uruzgan province, the coalition said.

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