PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, May 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 Taliban militants were killed after Afghan national army conducted a special operation in northern province of Baghlan overnight in the latest raid against the insurgents, a military source said Tuesday.
"The raid was launched by army's Special Operations Forces in Dand-e-Ghori, an area on outskirts of provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri. The security forces received hostile fire during the mission, and they returned fire, killing 13 militants," Abbas Twakuli, a press officer of army Corps 217 Pamir based in the region, told Xinhua.
The NATO-led coalition personnel were in an advisory capacity and they did not fire their weapons, he added.
There were no casualties on the security forces, the source added.
The province has long been the scene of clashes between Taliban militants and security forces.
On Sunday, 18 police officers were killed and about 60 police and civilians were injured after seven Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the provincial police station in Pul-e-Khumri, 160 km north of the country's capital, Kabul.
The Afghan security forces, backed by the NATO-led coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants within the past few months as spring and summer known as the fighting season is drawing near in the country.
The militant group has yet to respond to the report.
