JALALABAD (PAN): Thirty-three militants have been killed during clashes in a troubled district of the remote eastern province of Nuristan, officials said on Thursday.
Supported by International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops, Afghan police and army killed the fighters during a clearing operation in Doab district, the governor said.
Jamaluddin Badr told Pajhwok Afghan News 29 insurgents were killed and several others injured during in the fighting in Doad Jawnia, Pyar and Pachgal areas. Heavy Taliban weapons were destroyed in an ISAF air strike.
Four more insurgents were killed during a separate operation in Chatrash and Lawst areas on the outskirts of Paroon, the provincial capital, said the Nuristan police chief, Gen. Shamsur Rahman Nuristani.
Security forces would launch similar operations in other restive areas of the province on the advice of a joint delegation from the ministries of defence and interior.
Meanwhile, the NATO-led force said it had killed several guerrillas in an air strike conducted in support of the Afghan security personnel in Doab district.
But the Taliban denied claims of rebel casualties were exaggerated. Their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid alleged many victims of the operation were civilians.
Hezb-i-Islami spokesman, Engineer Haroon Zarghoon, said a day earlier that 20 policemen with 50 weapons had surrendered to them.
myn/mud
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