Roundup: Blast kills 2 Afghans, security forces kill 38 militants

A bomb blast by anti-government militants on Wednesday claimed two lives and injured seven others in Afghanistan's the eastern Khost province, a provincial government official said.

"A mine planted by militants struck the vehicle of Habib Khan Taniwal, a member of the Provincial Council, at around 02:15 p.m. local time today, killing two persons on the spot and injuring seven others," spokesman for the provincial government Mohammad Mabariz Zadran told Xinhua.

Habib Khan escaped unhurt, but three of his bodyguards are among those injured in the blast, he added.

The spokesman also put the attack on the enemies of peace, a reference to the Taliban militants. However, the armed outfit fighting the government to regain power hasn't commented.

The bloody blast occurred amid the government's mounting pressure on anti-government militants in the militancy-hit country.

Meanwhile, Afghan police in conjunction with units of the national army have killed 38 militants during a series of operations in the conflict-ridden country over the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement released here Wednesday.

The operations, according to the statement, have been conducted in parts of Nangarhar, Kunduz, Helmand, Samangan, Faryab and Saripul provinces during which more militants were injured and a number of arms and ammunition were seized.

However, the statement didn't mention if there are casualties on the side of the security forces.

Afghanistan's National Directorate for Security, the country's counter-intelligence agency, said they have arrested 11 anti-government militants in the northern province of Kunduz.

The spy agency also recovered arms, ammunition and military uniforms from the possession of the arrested insurgents.

Both the anti-government militants and government forces have been doing their best to gain more grounds and consolidate their positions ahead of snowfall in mountainous Afghanistan. Enditem