Three Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan

Three Taliban insurgents were killed following an Afghan National Police (ANP) operation in the northern Afghan province of Baghlan early Friday, police said.

"On a confirmed tip-off, the ANP's special operation forces carried out a raid on a compound in Juma Ali village of Burqa district, killing three Taliban insurgents," provincial police spokesman Jawid Basharat told Xinhua.

Two insurgents were wounded, and three others detained by the ANP, Basharat said, adding that the killed insurgents, namely Qari Housian, Qari Zareef and Wali Mohammad, had been involved in a number of subversive activities in the province, 160 km north of Afghanistan's capital Kabul.

The targeted group was responsible for launching a suicide bombing on a funeral ceremony in Burqa district earlier this month, leaving about 10 civilians dead and injuring 20 others, according to Basharat.

Afghan security forces have pressed on to clear the restive provinces of militants as the US and NATO-led troops will switch from combat to support role -- NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission -- which will focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan forces by the end of this month.

Jan 1, 2015, the new NATO mission begins in Afghanistan and nearly 13,000 foreign forces will be involved in the RS mission, according to NATO officials in Afghanistan.