Taliban suffer heavy casualties in Kandahar operation: MoD

At least 75 Taliban insurgents including suicide bombers killed on Saturday in Kandahar province, the Afghan military said.

The 205 Atal Corps said in a statement that the Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF), backed by the air force, conducted a joint clearing operation in Arghandab and Panjwai districts of southern Kandahar province on Saturday.

According to the statement, at least 12 insurgents were also wounded during the operation.

The Corps stated that six motorbikes belonging to the Taliban and a number of weapons were seized by the security forces.

An explosive-laden vehicle and weapons were destroyed during the raids, the statement read.

Meanwhile, another explosive-loaded vehicle of the Taliban was targeted in an airstrike in Shah Wali Kot district of the province, the statement said, adding the Taliban militants wanted “to target civilians and public sites facilities in the district.”

The statement further said that at least 32 IEDs, which were planted by the Taliban in Arghandab district to target both civilians and the Afghan forces, were also discovered and of which some were neutralized and the rest were detonated in the area.

Taliban, so far, has not commented in this regard.