Unknown militants attacked the NATO- led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the western Farah province of Afghanistan in the wee hours of Monday, spokesman of the multinational force said.

"Tonight at around 12:55 (0825 GMT) the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Farah went under attack by mortar and small arms fire by unknown number of insurgents. ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) troops responded to fire with both small arms and mortars," Ricardo Cristoni told newsmen at a news briefing.

Farah PRT, a civilian-military unit is one of the 19 Provincial Reconstruction Teams run by NATO and the U.S. military to enhance reconstruction and stabilization process in Afghanistan.

It is the first time that militants target NATO forces in the relatively peaceful province of Rarah.

Meanwhile, spokesman of the multinational force said that the rounds of mortars impacted outside the compound fence without any damage or casualties.

"Later on ISAF troops have searched and secured the area reporting no presence of the attackers," Cristoni emphasized.

He put the attack on the enemies of Afghanistan, a term used against the remnants of Taliban's former fundamentalist regime.

Remnants of Taliban who staged a violent comeback early last year have vowed to intensify their activities against foreign troops in the coming spring when the weather gets warm.

The militias also beheaded two local employees of Afghanistan intelligence service in Farah last week.

To stabilize security in the post-Taliban country NATO has decided to deploy additional 6,000 troops in the restive southern provinces where hundreds of Taliban-linked militants are said to have holed up.

Around 9,200 strong NATO-led ISAF has been stationed in the war- raved country to help Afghan government ensure security throughout the central Asian state.

Source: Xinhua