86 Militants Killed, 62 Injured in Afghanistan: Gov't
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – About 86 Taliban militants have been killed and 62 others injured as the Afghan security forces carried out cleanup operations in different provinces within the last 24 hours, said the country's Interior Ministry on Saturday.
"The cleanup operations were conducted by the Afghan police, army and the National Directorate of Security or intelligence agency personnel in Balkh, Helmand, Zabul, Kandahar, Paktika, Herat, Badghis and Kapisa provinces,” the ministry said in a daily statement.
Six militants were also detained in the above operations. Several Taliban local leaders were among the killed," it added.
Majority of the militants were killed during a raid in Chamtal district of northern Balkh province, the statement noted, Xinhua reported.
The security forces also recovered and defused six roadside bombs recently planted by the militants in Kandahar, Jawzjan, and Herat provinces, according to the statement.
The statement did not disclose if there were any casualties on the side of security forces.
The Taliban-led violence continues in Afghanistan. Security forces have pressed on to clear the militants in restive provinces.
The Taliban, which has been waging an insurgency since its regime was toppled by a US-led invasion in late 2001, has yet to make comments.
