Afghan forces kill 3 Taliban militants, detain 5

Afghan police backed by the army and NATO-led troops raided a Taliban hideout in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province, 250 km north of the national capital city Kabul, Thursday night killing three Taliban militants and arrested five others, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here Friday. The operation, according to the statement, covered Pul-e-Sultan village and lasted for a while during which three militants including their commander Qari Atiqullah were killed and five others made captive. Qari Atiq had also served as shadowy governor of Taliban outfit in neighboring Khawja Ghar district, the statement added. However, it did not say if there were any casualties on the security forces. Taliban militants have yet to make comments.