53 Taliban militants killed, 38 injured in Afghanistan in one day: defense ministry

KABUL: JULY 18 – At least 53 Taliban militants were killed and 38 others wounded in multiple airstrikes and battles in Afghanistan on Saturday, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said on Sunday.

In eastern Kapisa province, 18 militants were killed and 24 wounded after Afghan Air Force (AAF) conducted airstrikes in support of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in suburban Tagab and the neighboring Nijrab districts, the ministry said in a statement.

Among the killed militants were three Taliban’s divisional commanders, said the statement.

Meanwhile, 20 Taliban militants were killed and eight others wounded during a cleanup operation conducted by ANDSF on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, the capital city of southern Helmand province, according to the statement.

In northern Balkh province, 15 Taliban militants were killed and six others wounded following an airstrike conducted by the AAF in Kaldar district, according to the statement.

One vehicle belonging to the militants and a large number of weapons and ammunition were destroyed during the latest offensives, the statement said.

The Afghan security forces have recently beefed up security operations against the Taliban militants.

-XINHUA