KABUL, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Afghan troops backed by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces have killed seven Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, an official said Tuesday.

    "In a joint operation of Afghan and ISAF forces launched late weekend in parts of Kunduz province, so far seven rebels including a local Taliban commander Mullah Salam have been killed," the senior military commander in North Afghanistan General Murad Ali Murad told Xinhua.

    Eight more militants have been arrested, he further said.

    He also said that a mine planted by the militants struck a military vehicle but caused no loss of life.

    However, he said that there were no casualties on the government forces.

    Meantime, Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in talks with media from an undisclosed location claimed that the fighters had killed over a dozen of soldiers, the claim was utterly rejected by Murad.

    Taliban militants have been attempting to shift their activities from the militancy-plagued southern region to the relatively peaceful provinces such as Kunduz and Baghlan over the past several months.