SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): At least 18 Taliban militants, including a key commander, have been killed in an airstrike in the Faizabad district of northwestern Jawzjan province, an official said on Tuesday.
Alaf Shah, the district administrative chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the Afghan air force conducted the airstrike in Mimlek village of the district late Monday night.
He said Nooruddin, a key commander, was among 18 insurgents killed in the nighttime blitz.
He said another key commander of the Taliban, Maulvi Zarif, was injured in the strike but was taken to an unknown location by the rebels. Civilians and security forces suffered no causalities in the operation, he concluded.
A resident of the area, who wished to go unnamed, also confirmed the airstrike but said Nooruddin surrendered to the government along with his few associates.
Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Pajhwok in a telephonic conversation that three of their fighters had been killed and five others wounded in the incident.
pk/ma
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