16 militants killed in Afghan provinces within a day: gov’t

Sixteen Taliban militants were killed and six others wounded in five provinces since early Tuesday, the country’s defense ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

In southern Helmand province, five militants were killed after the Afghan Air Force targeted Taliban positions in Shir Mohammad Khan village of Garmser district and Shir Kali village in Khanshen district, the ministry said in a statement.

In addition, two Taliban militants were killed and five others wounded in a responsive attack by the Afghan National Army (ANA) in Sangin district of Helmand, according to the statement.

“Two Taliban terrorists were killed and one explosive-laden vehicle was destroyed in Khakrez district of southern Kandahar province following an airstrike by air force,” the statement added.

In western Herat province, an airstrike killed two Taliban militants and destroyed an explosive depot and a motorcycle in Chishti Sharif district.

Furthermore, five Taliban militants were killed and one injured following a cleanup operation in Naw Gholi Paheen village of Almar district of northern Faryab province, the statement said, adding several villages were cleared of militants.

The Afghan security forces have recently beefed up security operations against the Taliban militants who have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions in the countryside during winter.

The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces remain in control of most of Afghanistan’s population centers and all of 34 provincial capitals, but Taliban insurgents control large portions of rural areas, staging coordinated large-scale attacks against Afghan cities and districts from time to time.

The militant group hasn’t made a comment on the report so far.