KABUL, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban local leader was killed after clashes flared up in Afghanistan's western province of Ghor on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
Mehraj Helmandi was killed when clashes broke out between the security forces and Taliban fighters during a military operation in Ghor's Pasaband district, the ministry said in a statement.
In addition, five Taliban militants were killed and a key Taliban commander named Rahmatullah Hijrat was wounded after Afghan air force struck a Taliban position in the same district Saturday, the statement added.
The targeted Taliban leaders were involved in armed attacks on security checkpoints and a series of terrorist attacks in the district, south of the provincial capital Firoz Koah, 360 km west of Afghan capital of Kabul, the statement noted.
Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently as the war-weary Afghans have been witnessing a surge in attacks by Taliban fighters and Islamic State (IS) affiliates across the country.
The Taliban have yet to make comments.
