Roundup: Afghan conflicts claim 44 lives including 32 militants in 24 hours

Afghan militancy and counter- militancy have claimed 44 lives including 32 armed insurgents from both Taliban outfit and Islamic State (IS) fighters and 12 security personnel over the past 24 hours, Ministry of Defense said in a statement released here on Saturday.

"The cleanup operations conducted by units of National Army in coordination with the National Directorate of Security elsewhere in the country have left 32 armed militants dead over the past 24 hours," the statement asserted.

During the operations, according to the statement, which covered parts of Paktia, Ghazni, Zabul, Baghlan and Achin district of the eastern Nangarhar province, a number of militants sustained injuries and the security forces have also seized good quantity of arms and ammunition from the militants.

The ministry in the statement also admitted that 12 personnel of the national army have lost their lives in the war against enemies over the period.

The statement, however, didn't provide details on operations against IS fighters in the eastern Nangarhar province.

Meanwhile, Nangarhar provincial government in a statement released Saturday confirmed killing 28 IS fighters during drone attacks in Achin and Kot districts on Friday night.

"The air strikes pounded IS fighters in Lataband area of Achin district and Sayed Ahmad Khil area of Kot district late Friday night and early Saturday, killing 28 rebels and injuring 10 others," the statement said.

Two cars of IS fighters were also destroyed during the strikes, the statement added.

There were no casualties on the security personnel, the statement added.

Active in the mountainous districts of Achin, Kot and Batikot districts of the eastern Nangarhar province, along the border with Pakistan's tribal areas, IS fighters have been challenging Afghan security forces over the past several months. Enditem