KABUL, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Some 16 militants had been killed and five others detained within the last 24 hours across Afghanistan, the country's Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"In the last 24 hours, as a result of the joint clearance operations of the Afghan security and defense forces aimed to topple down the insurgents and protect the lives and properties of people, 16 armed insurgents were killed and five others detained by the joint forces," the ministry said in a statement.
The ground forces were supported by army's heavy artillery and air force during the raids conducted in surrounding areas of Nangarhar, Paktika, Ghazni, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Baghlan, Balkh, Jawzjan, Faryab, Kunduz and Helmand provinces, it said.
The statement also confirmed loss of three Afghan army personnel as a result of separate attacks within the same period.
The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants since early April after Taliban militants started their so-called annual spring offensive and stepped up attacks across the country.
The Taliban has yet to make comments.
