U.S. forces kill 5 Taliban fighters, capture 32

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Special Forces killed five suspected Taliban fighters and captured 32 others after an exchange of gunfire in western Afghanistan Sunday, a senior Pentagon official said Monday.

The official said the five were killed after opening fire on U.S. troops about 60 miles north of Kandahar, the former Taliban stronghold.

After the shootout, 32 other suspected Taliban fighters were taken to Bagram Air Base, the official said.

None of the captured fighters are thought to be senior officials.

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Meanwhile, U.S. officials said Monday they're not dismissing information that Islamic terrorists may be plotting an attack on a nuclear power plant around July Fourth. However, the officials said the report may not be reliable.

The information, which a foreign intelligence service passed on to the United States, led to the posting of a recent alert to U.S. nuclear power plants and FBI counterterrorism units to be watchful for people who might be photographing or doing surveillance of key facilities. (Full story)

Rumsfeld praises Pakistan's help in terror war

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Monday the United States continues to be "very pleased" with the cooperation that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has provided the United States in the war against terror.

Rumsfeld appeared before reporters with his Indonesian counterpart, Defense Minister Matori Abdul Djalil, who is visiting the United States.

The secretary was asked if more cooperation is needed to pursue al Qaeda and the Taliban in western Pakistan and why the Pakistani military hasn't been more aggressive.

"We have been very pleased with the cooperation President Musharraf has provided the United States with respect to the war on terrorism in many, many facets and respects almost from Day One," Rumsfeld said.

He said the Pakistani government is "working out ways to deal with" tribal organizations in the South Asian country "so pockets of Taliban can be routed out."

"Our interaction is continuous. It is iterative, and it has been constructive and helpful," Rumsfeld said.

He said he doesn't "doubt for a minute there are pockets of Taliban and al Qaeda across most of the borders of Afghanistan."

Coalition forces have made progress, Rumsfeld said, and must continue if there is to be success in the fight.

"I think it can be said that some nontrivial caches of weapons have been discovered in recent days," said Rumsfeld, also noting the recent capture of al Qaeda and Taliban suspects.

-- CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and National Security Correspondent David Ensor contributed to this report.