Taliban suffer heavy casualties in Laghman operations: Local officials

Afghan Voice Agency(AVA), Provincial police chief Fazal Ahmad Sherzad said at least 45 insurgents were killed and more than 20 others were wounded during the Silab-5 operations.

He said the operations were conducted in the vicinity of Basram, Katal, Maidani, Qasaba, Salim Gar, Noori and Alingar.

Sherzad further added that the operations were conducted with the support of the Air Force.

Several high level Taliban commanders including Samiullah Darwish, Qari Muhib, and Nasir were among those killed, Sherzad said, adding that two other senior Taliban commanders identified as Qari Rohullah and Qaderi were arrested.

He also added that 25 motorcycles, 5 pickup vehicles, one mortar, one Dshk heavy machine gun, and 822mm rocket launcher were destroyed during the operations.

According to Sherzad, several villages have been cleared from the presence of the Taliban insurgents and clearance operations are still being conducted in the area.

He said the operations will continue until the militants are fully cleared from the area.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.