Afghan battle claims 32 lives including 19 militants

Afghan militancy and counter-militancy have claimed the lives of 32 people including 19 armed insurgents and 13 security personnel across the conflict-ridden country over the past 24 hours, officials confirmed Monday.

Up to 14 Taliban militants have been killed as clash erupted in Kajaki district of the southern Helmand province on Monday, an army spokesman in the restive province, Mohammad Rasoul Zazai said.

A group of Taliban militants, according to the official stormed security checkpoints in Kajaki district early morning triggering gun battle, which had left 14 armed fighters dead.

Seventeen more militants have sustained injuries during fighting which is continuing sporadically, the official asserted.

Meantime, Afghan Defense ministry in a statement released here Monday reported killing 19 anti-government militants including 14 Taliban fighters in the troubled Helmand province, two others in the eastern Ghazni and three more militants loyal to the so-called Islamic State (IS) in the eastern Nangarhar province over the past 24 hours.

Defense Ministry in the statement also confirmed that 13 security personnel had been killed in fighting against militants elsewhere in the militancy-hit country over the past 24 hours.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of the country and have been fighting in several provinces to regain power, haven't commented on the claim made by government.

Fighters loyal to the Islamic State haven't commented either.

Taliban militants, according to Afghan observers, have speeded up activities ahead of the proposed direct talks with Afghan government to discuss peace and national reconciliation expected to be held in Pakistan within week.

Source: Xinhua