Afghan air strikes kill 27 militants

Air strikes against anti-government militants in Afghan northern Kunduz and eastern Nangarhar province have killed 27 armed insurgents from both Taliban and Islamic State groups over the past two days, official sources said Monday.

Series of air sorties conducted against Taliban hideouts in parts of the northern Kunduz province early Monday have left 16 militants dead, security official Masoud Akbari said.

"The air raid conducted early today in parts of Dasht-e-Archi district left 12 rebels dead," Akbari told Xinhua.

According to Akbari, the security forces also organized air strikes against militants in Gor Tipa area outside Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city, Monday morning, killing four armed Taliban and injuring two others.

The security forces backed by NATO-led Resolute Support troops also captured 10 Taliban fighters including group commander Mullah Dad Gul in Kunduz on Monday, the official added.

Taliban militants who have been fighting the government forces are yet to make comment.

Dasht-e-Archi and the neighboring Chardara and Imam Sahib districts have been regarded as Taliban hotbed in the northern Kunduz province.

Similarly the government forces, according to the state-run Bakhtar News Agency (BNA), conducted air sorties against militants loyal to the Islamic State outfit in Achin district of the eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, killing 11 fighters.

IS group, which is active in Achin and neighboring Kot and Chaparhar districts have yet to make comment.

Afghan forces have intensified use of aircraft particularly helicopter gunships in the war against militants over the past couple of months which has proved effective in helping ground forces to inflict casualties on militants and made inroad in militants' territories.

Source: Xinhua