KABUL
At least 11 Taliban insurgents were killed and two others sustained injuries in Afghanistan’s Zabul province, the Interior Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The police launched an operation in the district of Shajoye and Khan Khuli within Qalat, the capital of the province, to clear the area of insurgents.
The statement read that during the raids the police forces had seized 600 kg of explosives, five motorcycles, one of which was packed with explosives.
Three insurgents who wanted to place landmines in District Mezan were killed after one of the mines exploded, as said in the press release. The ministry did not provide details about Afghan force casualties during the raids. There are over 350,000 Afghan security forces and the forces will take over full security responsibility from foreign troops by the end of 2014.
Separately, three civilians were wounded and one killed when a bomb hit an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle in northern Kunduz province.
“Three civilians are wounded and one killed when a magnetic mine placed in the ANA vehicle detonated in Koch-e-Chaye Foroshe in Kunduz city,” Sarwar Hussaini Kunduz police spokesman said.
The victims were taken to a nearby hospital.
No insurgent groups, including the Taliban, have claimed responsibility for the blast so far.