U.S. warplanes have resumed bombing suspected al-Qaida and Taleban positions in eastern Afghanistan's mountains after running into unexpectedly heavy resistance from entrenched holdouts.

The biggest military campaign since last December is taking place south of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Between 2,000 and 5,000 al-Qaida and Taleban fighters are believed entrenched in mountain tunnel and cave complexes in Paktia province outside the town of Gardez.

Fighting began late Friday with intense U.S. bombing to soften up defenses. However, little headway was reported from Saturday's offensive involving 1,500 Afghan and U.S. troops.

A U.S. military statement issued late Saturday said one American service member and three Afghan soldiers were killed, and an unspecified number of U.S. and Afghan troops wounded. The number of al-Qaida and Taleban casualties is not known.

The statement says the fighting was intense at times.

Late Saturday, U.S. warplanes dropped a recently developed bomb designed suffocate those inside underground bunkers.

Meanwhile, Pakistan says it has sent its military to seal off the northwestern border with Afghanistan to prevent Taleban and al-Qaida fighters from fleeing.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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