Over 30 Taliban terrorists were killed and 17 other suffered injuries in Afghan Air Force airstrikes in two provinces on Friday, the country's Defence Ministry confirmed on Sunday.
In northern Jawzjan province, 19 terrorists were killed and 15 other suffered injuries after warplanes targeted terrorist hideouts in Murghab and Hassan Tabbin villages on the outskirts of provincial capital Shiberghan, Xinhua reported citing the ministry's statement.
Fourteen Taliban, including two non-Afghan terrorists, lost their lives and two others wounded when the air force struck their position on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, capital of southern Helmand province, according to the statement.
Three terrorist vehicles, six motorcycles, two bunkers and a big amount of their weapons and ammunition were also destroyed, the statement read.
These airstrikes come as Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in violence as the Taliban has intensified its offensive against Afghan forces and civilians with the complete pullback of foreign forces just a few weeks away.
The Taliban now control about half of the 419 district centres in Afghanistan, said General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As the Taliban seize more territory, the Afghan security forces are consolidating their positions to protect key population centres, including Kabul, he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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