8 militants, 1 soldier killed in Afghanistan within day

Eight Taliban militants have been killed as Afghan army waged operations since early Monday, said the country's Defense Ministry on Tuesday morning. "The raids were conducted in northern Kunduz and eastern Kabul, Paktika, and Nangarhar provinces within the past 24 hours, killing eight terrorists,"the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates.

Some 12 militants, including an insurgent's local leader named Safi Ullah, sustained injuries and three others were detained, the statement said, adding that one army personnel was also killed over the same period.

The Afghan army specialists had found and defused 17 roadside bombs and landmines, it said.

The Taliban-led violence continues in Afghanistan. Afghan security forces have pressed on with clearing the militants in restive provinces as they assumed the full security charges from NATO-led troops since Jan. 1.

The Taliban responds by bombing and armed attacks.

On Monday, Hajji Salah Mohammad Hotak, a member of provincial peace committee of the eastern Wardak province, was shot dead by gunmen in the western part of Afghan capital Kabul, the Kabul police confirmed earlier on Tuesday.