Official says Taliban commander, guard killed in N. Afghanistan

PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban commander and his bodyguard were killed after security forces stormed his hideout outside Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Saturday, a security official Safiullah Mohammadi said.

The special operation was launched early Saturday in Bagh-e-Shamal area outside provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri, killing the commander and one of his bodyguards on the spot, the official said.

Taliban militants haven't commented.