More than 30 militants killed in past 24 hours in Afghanistan

KABUL, March 13 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 militants had been killed in the conflict-battered Afghanistan over the past 24 hours as both the government and the Taliban outfit stepped up activities, officials said Wednesday.

In crackdown against militants, the fighting aircraft from the government forces struck a Taliban hideout in Khanabad district of the northern Kunduz province on Wednesday morning, killing eight insurgents and injuring three others, district governor Hayatullah Amiri asserted.

The government forces, similarly, initiated operations against the Taliban group in western Farah province and killed five militants including group commander Mullah Helal and injured six others since Tuesday, an army statement said.

Ground and air operations against Taliban fighters in Nahr-e-Saraj district of southern Helmand province killed 11 militants and injured four others on Tuesday, said a statement released by provincial police headquarters on Wednesday.

government forces had also killed seven militants and injured 15 others in southern Kandahar province over the past 24 hours, an army spokesman Sediq Eisa said Wednesday.

Taliban militants have yet to make comments on the claims.

Since Afghan warring sides often exaggerate the casualties of their opponents, it is difficult to verify with independent sources.