KABUL, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 36 combatants from warring sides have been killed in the conflict-torn Afghanistan over the past 24 hours as both the government forces and the Taliban militants have intensified offensives against each other, officials said Friday.
The government forces launched cleanup operations in Baladuri, Chashma-e-Shir and Khawja Alwan areas outside Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of northern Baghlan province Thursday evening, and so far six insurgents have been killed and five others injured, army spokesman in the northern region Mohammad Hanif Rezai said.
According to Rezai, several villages have been recaptured and the operations would continue to wipe out the insurgents.
Taliban militants, who are in control of parts of the restive Baghlan province and occasionally target security forces convoys on the highway linking Baghlan to the northern Kunduz and Mazar provinces, have not commented on the report.
In another crackdown operation, the government forces have also killed 15 Taliban fighters in Lalpur district of the eastern Nangarhar province since Thursday and recaptured several villages, a statement of the Afghan army said.
However, the Taliban fighters in a tit-for-tat response stormed a police security checkpoint in Zakhil area outside Kunduz city, the capital of the northern Kunduz province on Friday, killing seven police and injuring three others, local police officer Abdul Qayum has said.
A statement released by the Afghan army also reported killing of eight Taliban fighters in an infighting between Taliban commanders Mullah Najibullah and Mullah Nangialai in Shindand district of the western Herat province on Thursday.
The Afghan forces, according to security officials, would continue to mount pressure on the Taliban militants to reduce the armed outfit's military ability in the freezing winter.
