7 soldiers, 16 militants killed in Afghanistan within day: gov't

About 16 Taliban militants have been killed during Afghan army operations since early Monday while seven army soldiers died as a result of insurgent attacks and roadside bombings across Afghanistan over the same period, the country's Defense Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

"The army launched clearance operations in Paktika, Uruzgan and Kunduz provinces, killing 16 armed militants, and wounding 12 others over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates.

Three local insurgent leaders named Qari Basir, Mullah Qaum and Qari Hassan were among the injured, according to the statement.

The soldiers lost their lives in roadside bomb attacks and as a result of the militants' heavy weapons firing over the same period, the ministry said without providing details.

The army specialists have recovered and defused 37 roadside bombs and landmines planted by the insurgents during the last 24 hours, the statement said.

Moreover, five Taliban militants were killed and three others wounded during an army search operation in the surrounding areas of Shiberghan, the capital city of northern Jawzjan province earlier on Tuesday, an army spokesman, Major Riza Rizaee told Xinhua, adding no army personnel was hurt during the raid.

Afghan security forces have pressed on clearing the militants in restive provinces as they assumed the full security charges from NATO-led troops earlier this year. Endi