KABUL, July 9 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 militants have been killed and several others wounded in Afghanistan within the past 24 hours, authorities said Monday.
In one province, 14 Taliban militants were killed and eight others wounded after Afghan army backed by Afghan air force helicopters waged operations in Chimtal, Faizabad and Chahar Bolak districts of northern Balkh province, Hanif Rezai, spokesman of army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region, told Xinhua.
Among those injured was a Taliban shadow governor for Balkh named Qudrat Ullah, he said.
The joint Afghan security forces have cleared about five villages from militants and defused several roadside landmines, he added.
In Purchaman district of western Farah province, 31 militants were killed and 14 others wounded after Afghan air force pounded Taliban's hideouts, Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement issued here.
Three militants' vehicles and five motorcycles were also destroyed by the raid.
Up to 11 militants were killed and seven others wounded following an army's search operation in Dihrawud district and on outskirts of Tirin Kot, provincial capital of southern Uruzgan province, according to the statement.
In eastern Ghazni province, four militants lost their lives and six others wounded when Afghan security forces clashed with them in Muqur and Andar districts.
In another development, three Taliban militants were killed after a landmine they were planting along a road went off accidently in Kushki Kuhna district of western Herat province, the statement said.
The Afghan security forces have increased ground and air offensives against militants in the a last few months as the militants frequently attack government interests across the country.
The Taliban insurgent group has yet to make comments.
