47 killed in Afghanistan violence

Authorities in Afghanistan said Monday that at least 20 civilians, including women and children, and 27 militants have been killed in recent clashes in northern Kunduz province.

Scores of militants sneaked into villages around the provincial capital Kunduz a few days ago to collect money from residents, Pajhwok Afghan News quoted police spokesperson Syed Sarwar Hussaini as saying Monday. He added that militants killed 20 people from Kinam and Hazrat Sultan villages after they refused to pay the insurgents.

The casualties occurred in the past 48 hours and those killed included a former Mujahidin commander, he added.

A joint operation was launched in the area and 16 militants, including two of their top commanders, were killed and six others wounded.

Elsewhere in the province, Taliban claimed destroying two check-posts of Afghan Local Police (ALP) in Dasht-i-Archi district. Authorities, however, claimed killing at least 11 militants and wounding 15 more in the district.