KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Twenty Afghan guards for the NATO-led Australian forces defected to the Taliban after a dispute with the soldiers in southern Afghanistan, police said Wednesday.

"The Australian soldiers beat the Afghan guards after some verbal disputes in a military camp in Charchino district of Uruzgan province," district police chief Wali Dad said.

Is that what happened, Chief?

The angry guards set the security towers on fire and defected to the Taliban, taking weapons and ammunition, he said.

The defection occurred two days after a police chief and 12 of his men took weapons and joined the Taliban in western Farah province.