1st LD Writethru: Police kill key Taliban commander in E. Afghan province

A Taliban commander was killed together with five militants after Afghan police launched an ambush in eastern province of Ghazni on Monday, the Interior Ministry said.

"A top Taliban commander named Mullah Firoz Jahadi along with five other armed Taliban were killed in Aab Band district of Ghazni province in an Afghan National Police (ANP) ambush Monday morning," the ministry said in a statement.

The statement noted that nine other armed Taliban were wounded and two rocket launchers, two heavy machine guns and one vehicle were seized by the ANP after the attack.

"Mullah Firoz Jahadi was leading the Kunduz battle," the statement said, adding that his death will have a positive impact on security situation in Ghazni, 125 km south of Afghan capital of Kabul, and neighboring provinces.

Taliban militants captured major parts of Kunduz city, capital of northern Kunduz province on Oct. 3 this year but were forced to retreat from the city on Oct. 12.

The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations recently as militants were attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions ahead of winter in the mountainous country.

The militant group has yet to make comments. Enditem