KABUL, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- In conflict-ridden Afghanistan, militancy and counter-militancy security have left 15 people including five civilians and eight Taliban militants dead since Sunday night, officials confirmed.
In efforts to root out Taliban militants, the NATO-led forces, according to a local official, launched an air strike killing six Taliban militants including a key commander in Wardak province 35 km west of Afghan capital Kabul in the wee hours of Monday.
"A group of Taliban rebels were meeting in a house in Chak district at 01:00 a.m. local time to chalk out terror attacks when the aircraft of NATO-led coalition forces stormed the hideout killing six militants including Taliban key commander Mawalwi Naqibullah," police spokesman in Wardak province, Abdul Wali told Xinhua.
He also stated that Mawlawi Ghulam, the shadowy governor of Taliban militants in Chak district, was also killed in the attack.
The elimination of Mawalwi Naqibullah, according to the official is a major setback to Taliban outfit in Wardak and adjoining provinces as he organized Taliban operations in the province. There were no harms on civilians, he added.
A similar air raid in the Taliban former stronghold Kandahar 450 km south of Kabul had also left two Taliban fighters dead on Sunday night, a statement released by Kandahar provincial administration on Monday said.
"The aircrafts of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) attacked and killed two Taliban militants who were busy planting a mine on a road in Panjwai district, Kandahar province Sunday night," the statement emphasized.
In a related incident, two Afghan police were killed and four others sustained injuries as a roadside bomb struck a police vehicle in Ismael Khil district of Khost province 150 km southeast of Afghan capital Kabul Monday morning, a local official confirmed.
"The tragic incident happened at around 10:00 a.m. local time when police were on routine patrol as a result two policemen including an officer were martyred and four others sustained injuries," Wali Shah Humat the governor of Ismael Khil district confirmed to Xinhua.
He also put the deadly attack on the enemies of peace, a term used against Taliban militants. However, the outfit fighting the government has yet to comment.
In a shocking incident, unknown gunmen sneaked into a house shot and dead five civilians on Sunday night in Nangarhar province 125 km east of capital city Kabul, according to a local official.
"Unidentified gunmen entered a house in Momandara district late Sunday night and after brutally killing five civilians, all male members of the family, made their good escape," district governor, Shukrullah who like many Afghans uses one name, told Xinhua.
He also stated that a woman was injured in the incident.
Without pointing finger at any particular groups or individuals, the official said investigation had been initiated to identify and arrest the culprits.
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