Roundup: Afghan forces kill over 90 militants, president reviews security situation

Units of Afghan police backed by the army have killed 94 Taliban militants during a series of operations across the conflict-ridden country over the past 24 hours, a statement of the Ministry of Interior released here on Monday said.

"A total of 94 armed militants have been killed over the past 24 hours as police backed by army conducted several anti-terrorism operations in Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Sar-e-Pul, Kandahar, Oruzgan, Logar, Khost, Kunar, Paktiya, Herat, Badghis and Helmand provinces," the statement said.

Taliban militants have yet to make comments. But they, in an online statement on Monday, claimed killing eight Afghan security personnel and injuring five others in Shinkai district of the southern Zabul province on Sunday.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday discussed the security situation with the provincial governors and police chiefs in several provinces of the country via a video conference.

The president issued necessary directives for further improving security situation in each parts of the country, a government statement said.

The conference was also attended by interior and defense ministers as well as the chief of national intelligence agency.

During the video conference, president Ghani, according to the statement, lauded the sacrifices and courage of Afghan national security forces demonstrated in the war on terror.

Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power launched their so-called annual spring offensive on April 24 and since then the hardliner outfit has conducted a series of attacks mostly in the shape of deadly suicide bombings in different parts of the country. Endi