Commander among 4 killed, 12 villages retaken in Afghan forces onslaught

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban local commander along with his three fighters was killed, following Afghan forces onslaught in northeastern province of Badakhshan on Saturday.

Twelve villages were also cleared from insurgents during the raid, an official said.

"A cleanup operation was launched in Yaftal-e-Payan district of Badakhshan province, where insurgents have been driven out of 12 villages after leaving their commander, Maulawi Ekram and three more fighters dead," police spokesman Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, told reporters here.

Taliban militants have not made comment on the report.