Kabul, Afghanistan ? U.S. jets pounded a Taliban mountain hideout Monday, killing at least 14 insurgents in the deadliest air assault since rebels launched a series of strikes against Afghan government targets, U.S. and Afghan officials said.

Sweeping through the rugged mountains of southeastern Afghanistan, scores of Afghan militia and U.S.-led coalition special forces hunted down suspected Taliban fighters, who in recent weeks have been waging attacks on police officials and government convoys.

The Taliban violence has killed dozens of people and cast a shadow over American-led efforts to rebuild the war-battered country. As part of the operation, about 100 suspected guerrillas have been arrested in the past few days, Afghan officials said.

Monday’s attack was carried out jointly by Afghan provincial militia forces and U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers.

In the campaign, dubbed “Operation Warrior Sweep,” fighter jets provided air support for ground troops and blasted a mountainous region that runs between Kandahar and Kabul, said Col. Rodney Davis, spokesman for the U.S. military at coalition headquarters at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul.

Davis said 14 “enemy” fighters were killed. Juma Khan, a district police chief, put the death toll at 16. Ahmad Khan, spokesman for the provincial governor, claimed that at least 50 died, but there was no way to independently confirm the varying reports.

There were no reported coalition casualties in the operation, which was continuing, Davis said.