Scores of Afghan insurgents killed in joint cleanup operations

Scores of insurgents have been killed and injured joint cleanup perations by Afghan security forces, the DDefence ministry said on Monday.

"Over the past 24 hours, several terrorists were killed and injured as a result of joint cleanup operations conducted by army and Afghanistan security forces across the country," Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.

The statement did not disclose the precise number of casualties.

Four armed insurgents were captured by the joint forces, according to the statement.

The raids were lunched in nine of the country's 34 provinces and the security forces seized weapons, in addition to defusing dozens of roadside bombs and landmines, the statement added.

"Up to 11 army personnel were killed as a result of separate attacks across the country over the same period," said the statement.

Afghanistan security forces have pressed on clearing the militants in restive provinces as Taliban militants were attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions ahead of winter in the mountainous country.

The Taliban, which has been waging an insurgency of more than one decade, has yet to make comments.