2 Taliban commanders among 10 killed in Afghanistan

Two Taliban senior commanders were among 10 militants killed in Wardak province of central east Afghanistan on Sunday, spokesman for the provincial government Abdul Rahman Mangal said.

"Acting on a tip-off, the security forces stormed a Taliban hideout in Sayed Abad district today (Sunday) morning, killing 10 rebels, including notorious commanders Qari Najibullah alias Rahbar and Mawlawi Waris alias Abas, on the spot," Mangal told Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, four Taliban insurgents were killed and one other arrested in an operation in the country's southern province of Helmand overnight, said the Special Forces command on Sunday.

Upon arrival of the security force, a gunfight took place and no member of security force was hurt during the raid, an Operational Coordination Group Afghanistan (MoD-OCGA) statement said.

Xinhua reported that the security force also destroyed a vehicle and three motorcycles at the scene.

The province, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold.

The Afghan Special Forces killed over 6,100 militants, injured about 3,200 and detained 443 others in 2017. They also destroyed 15 militants' command and control posts and 352 bunkers in different places over the period, according to AOCG.

The Taliban militant group was yet to make comment on both reports.

--IANS

him/dg