Roundup: Afghan forces kill 19 militants, capture 13 in northern region

Afghan security forces during operations against Taliban militants in the northern region of the war-torn country have killed 19 armed militants and captured 13 others in Baghlan and Takhar provinces over the past two days, officials said Wednesday.

The government forces in crackdown against Taliban in Dand-e-Ghori district of the northern Baghlan province, 19 militants have been killed since Tuesday, provincial governor, Abdul Sattar Bariz said Wednesday.

"The security forces have killed 19 militants and injured three others in Dand-e-Ghori district over the past 24 hours," Bariz told reporters.

However, the governor didn't say if there were casualties on security personnel.

Dand-e-Ghori and Dand-e-Shahabudin in the outskirt of Baghlan provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri city 160 km north of Kabul have been the scene of fierce fighting over the past one month.

Similarly, Afghanistan's National Directorate for Security (NDS) or the country's spy agency on Wednesday reported arresting 13 insurgents in the northern Takhar province over the period.

"The personnel of NDS have arrested 13 members of a terrorist network following series of operations in Takhar province," the intelligence agency said in a statement released Wednesday.

An AK-47 rifle, a pistol, two hand grenades had also been seized during the operations, the statement added.

The arrested militants, according to the statement, were involved in terrorist activities including targeting government employees, religious figures, kidnapping and destructive activities to terrorize the people.

Taliban militants who are active in both Baghlan and Takhar provinces have yet to comment.

Meanwhile, deputy to Afghan chief of army staff General Murad Ali Murad, said couple of days ago, the national security forces, as part of tactic have decided to adopt aggressive mode and chase militants elsewhere in the country. Enditem