By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL
Afghan troops have launched various operations against Taliban militants, causing numerous casualties among their ranks in several provinces, the government said.
According to a statement released by the Interior Ministry today, 123 militants were killed and 46 others were wounded in the past 24 hours of major operations carried out in nine provinces aimed at clearing the areas of militants.
“Several Taliban group commanders named Mullah Sarajuddin, Mullah Mir, Mullah Mohammed, and Abdul Wadood, also known as Zarqawi, and Saifuddin Kochi are among the killed militants. The terrorists suffered the heaviest casualties in the Nangarhar, Kunduz and Helmand provinces,” the statement said.
In a separate operation in the northern Faryab province, Afghan national forces killed 24 militants including 10 commanders.
“Afghan forces repelled a huge and coordinated attack from Taliban militants on Almar district, killed 24 terrorists and wounded 10 others. Our forces regained four villages from the Taliban which had been under militants’ control since last Monday,” deputy provincial police colonel Mohammad Naeem Andarabi told The Anadolu Agency.
There reportedly were civilian casualties but this could not yet be confirmed, he said.
Taliban shadow governor for the province of Faryab, Mullah Salahuddinn, recently had recruited hundreds of militants from the neighboring provinces of Badghis, Jawzjan, Saripul and Ghor aiming to take control of Almar district, Andarabi said, adding that tens of Uzbek, Chechens and Pakistani militants had joined them.
“Our forces have seized 10 motorcycles -- usually used by militants for quick operations -- ammunition and numerous weapons,” he added.
Taliban militants have intensified their war against the Afghan government, aiming to seize ground as international troops withdraw by the end of the year.
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