KABUL, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Afghan troops had killed three Taliban fighters and arrested 36 others in a two-week operations launched late December in eastern Afghanistan, Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said Sunday.

    "In the operation launched on Dec. 26 in several districts of Khost province and concluded last week, three enemies were killed and 36 others made captive and all of them are Afghans," Azimi told newsmen at a press conference.

    A number of arms and munitions, including 50 assault rifles and 457 magazines of bullets of anti-aircraft guns, were also seized during the operation.

    He also added that four soldiers of international troops and one civilian were wounded during the operations.

    More than 2,000 insurgents, according to the spokesman, had been killed in 2007.

    Over 6,000 people had lost their lives in conflicts and Taliban-related violence last year while militants as per predictions would further increase their attacks in 2008 in Afghanistan.