Afghan Exterminates Taliban Militants: Many Killed In Airstrikes & Gunbattle

Ghazni (Afghanistan): Afghan fighting planes targeted the Taliban hideouts in the restive Muqar and Gilan districts of eastern Ghazni province on Saturday, killing 12 insurgents and injuring six others, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The short statement also noted that a good quantity of arms and ammunitions of the militants were also destroyed during the air raids, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, over two dozen militants had also been killed during the clean-up operations in the neighbouring Wardak province on Saturday.

The Taliban outfit has not made a comment yet.

Gunbattle Leaves 5 Militants Dead In Badakhshan

Faizabad: Meanwhile, five militants have been confirmed dead as a clash erupted in Shahr-e-Bazarg district of northern Badakhshan province on Sunday, provincial government spokesman Sanahullah Rohani said.

The clash flared up after a group of Taliban militants attacked the police checkpoints in Shahr-e-Bazarg district early Sunday morning and police returned fire, killing five insurgents and forcing the militants to flee, the official said.

Eight more militants sustained injury in the firefight, Rohani further said without providing more details, the Xinhua news agency reported.

In the meantime, an army officer in province Abdul Razaq confirmed with Xinhua about the fighting and said two security personnel were injured in the gun battle.

Taliban militants are yet to comment on the situation in the relatively troubled district.