16 Afghan militants killed in 2 operations

Sixteen Taliban militants were killed in two military operations carried out by the Afghan security forces, officials said on Sunday. Nine militants were killed and five others wounded when Afghan army commandos launched an operation in Dar-e-Sangara area of Alingar district in the eastern province of Laghman early Sunday morning, the provincial government said in a statement. Four militants, including a would-be suicide bomber, were also detained, the statement said, adding a Taliban local leader named Abdul Jabbar was among the dead. On Saturday, seven militants, including their leader named Hajji Rahis were killed when the army conducted a cleanup operation in southern Helmand province, according to Colonel Mohammad Rassoul Zazi of the Army Corps 215 Maiwand. The army specialists also defused 20 roadside bombs, Zazi noted. No casualties on the side of security forces were reported during the above raids. 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. The Taliban insurgent group has yet to make comments. In an unrelated incident, one civilian named Abdul Jabbar was killed in a bomb attack in eastern Kunar province on Sunday, the provincial police chief Habibullah Sayyiedkhil told Xinhua, adding the incident seemed to be a targeted killing as the victim's brother is a candidate for the provincial council elections