More than 80 Taliban fighters have been killed in air raids by Afghan and US forces in Afghanistan’s Kandahar and Faryab provinces in the past 24 hours, officials said.

Five militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group have been confirmed dead as unmanned planes target the hardliner outfit’s hideouts in Haska Mina and Mohmandara districts of the eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, said a provincial government statement released here Wednesday.

Afghanistan — The Afghan government said on Tuesday that it would not take part in negotiations with Taliban unless a cease-fire had first held for at least a month, a demand that is likely to face resistance from the insurgents and complicate the revival of peace efforts that were upended by President Trump.

NATO has reaffirmed its commitment to the long-running Afghanistan mission and said it will ensure its deployment there remains “sustainable.”

Russia, China and Pakistan have called for an early resumption of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban to reach an agreement about ending the war in Afghanistan.

Four Afghan army special force members were killed and others wounded in a Taliban militants’ ambush attack in northern Takhar province Wednesday, local police said.

At least five Marines were wounded on Tuesday during a Taliban rocket attack on a military base in southern Afghanistan, according to three defense officials. The high number of casualties came a day after Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper visited the country.

The reduction, which officials say could gradually drop the number of troops by several thousand, is happening even without any deal with the Taliban.

A Taliban delegation reportedly met earlier this month with Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation. The alleged gathering came during an official Taliban visit to Islamabad to meet with Pakistan officials.

Hate preacher Anjem Choudary is inspiring his network of extremists and poses a renewed terror threat a year after he left jail, an analysis by experts has warned.