Kabul, Afghanistan ? Fighting in southern Afghanistan killed 22 suspected Taliban militants, officials said Wednesday, as NATO nations approved expanding the alliance’s peacekeeping force into the region.

Taliban fighters have stepped up attacks this year, triggering the worst violence since the hard-line regime was ousted in 2001 for hosting Osama bin Laden. The bloodshed has raised new fears for Afghanistan’s fragile democracy.

No security forces were hurt in the violence, officials said.

The increase in violence comes as about 8,000 NATO forces – mostly British, Canadian and Dutch – deploy in the south as part of an alliance expansion. NATO also has troops in Kabul and northern and western Afghanistan.

In Brussels, Belgium, NATO nations formally approved the move into the southern provinces.

The alliance’s top military commander, U.S. Gen. James L. Jones, will begin taking command of the region from U.S.-led coalition troops this month, officials said.