36 Afghan militants killed in fresh operations within day

Thirty-six militants were killed, 17 others were wounded while 14 more were detained as the Afghan security forces carried a series of military operations since early Sunday, said the country's Interior Ministry on Monday morning. "Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) conducted military raids in Kunar, Nangarhar, Badakhshan, Sari Pul, Jawzjan, Kandahar, Zabul, Wardak, Ghazni and Helmand provinces. The ANSF battled the militants and killed 36 armed Taliban insurgent members. Up to 17 insurgents were wounded and 14 detained by the ANSF over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates. The security forces also found and seized weapons, the statement said, without saying if there were any casualties on the side of security forces. The army and police have stepped up efforts to clear the militants across Afghanistan as the country is preparing for the presidential and provincial councils general elections slated for April 5.