Afghan forces kill 216 militants in 48 hours

Afghan armed forces killed 216 militants in their latest military operations in multiple areas of the war-ravaged South Asian nation.

The announcement came in Saturday's statement by the ministry, which said the operations were carried out across the country within the past 48 hours in various areas in the provinces of Kunar, Laghman, Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Paktia, Urozgan, Daikundi, Kandahar, Takhar, Kundoz and Helmand.

The statement, cited by Afghan media, said that 216 of the armed insurgents were killed and 142 injured during large-scale operations.

The official statement also noted that 12 Afghan National Army troops also lost their lives during the operations as a result of landmine explosions and exchange of fire with the militants.

Afghanistan continues to struggle with insecurity and a persisting terror campaign by Taliban militants throughout the country years after US-led foreign troops marched into the war-torn nation in a massive military invasion in 2001 as part of what Washington proclaimed the "war on terror".

At least 13,500 foreign forces remain in Afghanistan despite the end of the US-led combat mission, which came to an end on December 31, 2014. The forces, mainly from the US, are there for what Washington calls a support mission.