9 militants killed in eastern Afghan raid

Nine militants were killed when Afghan security forces launched a military operation in the eastern province of Kunar on Friday, a police chief said Saturday. "A special operation force of army and police carried out a cleanup operation in Gulab Pouri area of Sarkano district Friday. Nine militants were killed and rounds of weapons were seized during the one-day operation while no member of the forces was hurt in the raid," provincial police chief Habibullah Sayedkhili told Xinhua. The mountainous province has seen a series of Taliban-led attacks recently. A Taliban purported spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, told local media that three of the Taliban members died in the raid and several Afghan soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting. On Friday, a local Taliban leader named Mullah Zahid was killed after the Taliban launched an attack on a police checkpoint in neighboring Noorgul district. The army and police have stepped up efforts to clear the militants across Afghanistan as the country is preparing for the presidential and provincial council elections slated for April 5 this year.