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Roundup: Air raids kill 46 militants in E. Afghanistan

Xinhua, February 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Successive air strikes against anti-government militants in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar and Paktika province on Monday night have claimed the lives of 46 armed insurgents including fighters from the Islamic State (IS), officials said Tuesday.

Up to 29 IS militants were killed as the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) forces launched air sorties in the restive Achin district of Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan overnight, a statement of the provincial government released on Tuesday said.

"The foreign forces conducted four air raids against IS positions in Momand Dara area of Achin district Monday night killing 29 IS militants and destroying an IS radio station," the statement asserted.

Those killed in the raids include five employees of the banned group's radio station and five persons in charge of Internet service of the extremist group, the statement added.

Several high-ranking IS members were also among the dead bodies in the mountainous Achin district which is regarded as an IS stronghold in eastern part of the country.

The district bordering Pakistan has been the scene of heavy clashes between IS militants and security forces over the past several months.

Similar air strikes in Gomal district of the eastern Paktika province along the border with Pakistan on Monday night killed 17 Taliban insurgents, spokesman for Paktika's provincial administration, Nabiullah Pirkhil said on Tuesday.

"Acting upon intelligence reports, the pilotless plane of the coalition forces stormed the hideouts of Taliban rebels in Gomal district Monday night killing 17 armed insurgents," Pirkhil told Xinhua.

A vehicle of militants was destroyed in the raid, the official added.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of Paktika have yet to make comment.

Meanwhile, three Taliban fighters have been killed in Dand-e-Ghori district of the northern Baghlan province over the past two days, provincial governor Abdul Sattar Bariz said.

Observers say Taliban militants would continue to intensify activities and gain more grounds ahead of the proposed peace talks between the armed outfit and the Afghan government expectedly held in the coming months. Enditem