There was confusion on Tuesday over the reported death of Taliban commander Mullah Abdur Rahim, with some guerrillas confirming it and a man who identified himself as Rahim saying he was very much alive.

Afghan officials said on Monday that Rahim, who controlled Taliban forces in southern Afghanistan, was among 15 Taliban guerrillas killed in fighting in Kandahar province on Sunday.

Another Taliban commander, Mullah Abdul Rauf, and Taliban official Mullah Rahmatullah confirmed that Rahim was dead.

"The fact is that Mullah Abdur Rahim has been martyred," Rahmatullah told Reuters.

But a man identifying himself as Rahim called Reuters about 30 minutes earlier to say he was very much alive.

"The Taliban movement cannot be weakened by spreading news of my death," he said in the call arranged by other Taliban officials. "I am alive and all right."

The voice sounded similar to that of Rahim, who has spoken to Reuters several times in the past, but the phone line was of very poor quality.

Mullah Abdul Samad, a Taliban intelligence officer, called the report of Rahim's death "mere propaganda."

The U.S. military said the 15 Taliban fighters killed died in attacks by U.S. and allied warplanes backing Afghan and U.S.-led ground forces.

But the caller who identified himself as Rahim said only six Taliban fighters had been killed along with more than a dozen Afghan troops.

"The attacks against U.S. and other infidel forces in Afghanistan will be intensified," he said. "The Taliban will continue their jihad (holy war) until the American occupation of Afghanistan ends."

Violence has plagued southern Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 and has worsened markedly in recent weeks.

Well over 200 people have been killed in the past six weeks. Most have been Taliban guerrillas, but the casualties have included Afghan soldiers and police, civilians and aid workers.

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