16 militants killed in Afghan raids in 24 hours

Sixteen militants have been killed while seven wounded and 10 others arrested as Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) carried out several operations since early Tuesday, the country's Interior Ministry said Wednesday morning. "Afghan National Police conducted several anti-terrorism joint operations with Afghan National Army and National Directorate for Security (NDS) in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunduz, Balkh, Wardak and Helmand provinces, killing 16 armed Taliban members, wounding seven and 10 other militants were arrested by the ANSF in the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates. The ANSF also found and seized weapons and ammunition besides defusing nine improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the raids, the statement noted. The Taliban insurgent group has yet to make comments so far. The ANSF has intensified operations against the militants in recent months particularly after it took the lead in military operations from NATO and U.S. forces in June. The militants retaliated by armed attacks and bombings. Earlier on Wednesday, a police officer named Mohibullah was killed in an insurgent ambush in Imam Shaib district of northern Kunduz province, district governor Aman Quraishi told Xinhua, adding at least two militants were killed or injured in the exchange of fire following the attack.