Airstrikes kill 20 militants in N. Afghanistan

At least 20 militants have been confirmed dead as the military aircraft pounded Taliban hideouts in Zebak district of northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province Monday night, a senior police official in the northern region said Tuesday.

"Acting upon intelligence reports, the aircraft of security forces targeted the hideouts of the armed Taliban insurgents in Zebak district late last night killing at least 20 enemies on the spot," General Shir Aziz Kamawal told Xinhua.

Six vehicles and two motorbikes of the militants were also destroyed in the attacks, the official said.

The deadly air raids conducted after the capture of the Zebak district by Taliban militants couple of days ago.

Taliban militants, according to the locals, have been attempting to overrun Zebak's neighboring Ashkashim district and government forces have been fighting back to foil the plans.

However, local observers believe that the possible fall of Ashkashim district to the Taliban militants would enable the armed group to have direct access to Pakistan's Chitral district.

Badakhshan province, with Faizabad city as its capital, 315 km northeast of Kabul, has been the scene of Taliban increasing insurgency over the past three years. Enditem