Airstrikes kill 23 Taliban militants in Afghanistan's Balkh province

A total of 23 Taliban militants were killed in airstrikes that targeted hideouts in Afghanistan's Balkh province, an army spokesman said on Friday.

The sorties, according to the spokesman, were launched on Thursday afternoon in Bodana Qala village of the restive Sholgara district, reports Xinhua news agency.

As a result, 23 armed militants were killed and 11 others injured.

Three motorbikes of the militants were also destroyed in the airstrikes, the official said.

Taliban militants, who are active in parts of Balkh province with Mazar-i-Sharif as its capital, haven't commented.

Afghanistan is in a state of uncertainty after US President Joe Biden announced that American troops will pull out from the country by September 11, 2021 after almost 20 years.

NATO agreed to follow suit.

Almost 10,000 NATO soldiers from the Resolute Support training mission, including 2,500 soldiers from the US and around 1,100 from Germany, the two biggest contingents, are due to leave the country.

Since the withdrawal officially began on May 1, the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints.

--IANS

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