It said it had not confirmed that any of the dead were part of the group of inmates who escaped the Kandahar jail. A further five suspected militants were captured, the military statement said.

Afghan officials say about 900 inmates escaped after the prison was attacked by Taleban militants on Friday. Among them were some 350 Taleban members.

International and Afghan security forces have been hunting for the detainees since the break-out. Afghan officials said about 20 had been recaptured on Saturday and Sunday.

The US military said the insurgents killed had been found at a farm compound in Kandahar province where a cache of weapons was also discovered.

Kandahar is one of the key battlegrounds in the Taleban's insurgency against President Hamid Karzai and troops from Nato and a US-led coalition.