55 militants, 5 police killed in Afghan battles

At least 55 insurgents have been killed and 37 others injured during military operations in different provinces over the past 24 hours, Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"The Afghan security forces launched series of operations across the country against enemies over the past 24 hours which had left 55 insurgents dead including three fighters of Islamic State (IS) and 27 others injured," the statement said.

The operations were conducted against militants in parts of Nangarhar, Kapisa, Khost, Ghazni, Logar, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Kunduz, Faryab, Balkh, Baghlan, Badakhshan and Helmand provinces, the statement added, without giving details on possible casualties inflicted to the security forces.

At the same time, five Afghan police were killed and few others injured after Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Arghandab district of the southern Zabul province Tuesday night, a security official said on condition of anonimity.

Militancy and counter-militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan.

source: xinhua