The Kurds here lived for decades under the iron grip of the Turkish military, which stamped out expressions of Kurdish culture and battled Kurdish militants.

Afghan and American forces have been battling militants in Zabul Province since Friday.

LEAD: Hundreds of police officers surrounded a Sikh temple today in the northern state of Punjab and battled militants inside, the police said.

American marines battled militants in Falluja this spring, but were ordered to withdraw before they could control the city.

The African National Congress, in turn, battled militants in its ranks who wanted nothing less than joint control of the police force and state budget.

Israel sent additional tanks and troops into the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday to battle Palestinian militants, though Israel's government appeared to rule out a major military escalation at least for now.

The Palestinian security forces have battled militants on the streets of Gaza several times in recent days, though no heavy exchanges of fire were reported Sunday.

In early May, the same marines battled militants across the Euphrates from Karabila.

Marines entered the town as others battled militants in the surrounding mountains.

As the Lebanese Army battled militants in the Nahr al Bared refugee camp in the north, gunfire broke out between the army and militants here in this camp, near Sidon.