KABUL, April 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 anti-government militants were killed across Afghanistan over the past 24 hours as fighting gained momentum in the conflict-battered country, officials said Sunday.
The government forces in latest crackdown against the armed militants have stormed a Taliban hideout in Panah area of Gero district in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province, killing seven insurgents on the spot and wounding three others, said a statement of provincial government released Sunday.
Similarly, fighting between security forces and the Taliban group left five armed militants dead and two injured in Dasht-e-Qala district of the country's northern Takhar province Saturday night, provincial government spokesman Mohammad Jawad Hajari told Xinhua.
At least 28 militants have been confirmed dead as fighting aircraft pounded Taliban positions in Saiqal Ghara area of Nawbahar district in southern Zabul province since Saturday, said an army statement.
According to army statements, 17 militants have been killed in eastern Wardak province and seven more insurgents have been killed in southern Uruzgan province since Saturday.
However, Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit has spurned the claims made by security officials, saying the militants have inflicted casualties to government forces over the past 24 hours.
Militancy and counter-militancy have gained momentum since April 12 when the Taliban group announced its annual offensive in the war-torn country.
