48 people killed in Afghan operations

At least 48 people including 10 policemen were killed on Tuesday during anti-militancy operations in Afghanistan, an official said.

At least 18 militants were killed when the security forces launched a major offensive against a Taliban bastion in Dand-e-Ghori district of Baghlan province, Xinhua quoted a senior official as saying.

The Taliban is yet to comment.

Similar operations in Khogiani district of Ghazni province on Tuesday left 10 militants, including a group commander, killed, another official said.

A total of 10 police personnel were also killled during the operations, the official added.

Taliban militants confirmed the clash, saying militants were fighting the government forces in Khogiani district over the past two days.

In another violent incident, a Taliban loyalist disguised himself as a policeman and first poisoned and then killed 10 policemen in a checkpoint in Uruzgan province on Tuesday.