3 Taliban militants killed in Afghan air strikes

Kabul, Nov 24 (IANS) Three Taliban militants were killed in air strikes conducted by Afghan National Army's Air Force in Afghanistan's Herat and Farah provinces, the command of special forces said on Sunday.In an air strike in Shindand district of Herat province at 9.48 a.m. local time on Sunday, Marwan Bajawori, a Taliban local leader and the militants' weapons and ammunition facilitator, was killed, Xinhua quoted Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps as saying in a statement.In neighbouring Farah province, two militants were killed and another wounded in an air strike in Asad Jamkai village, Gulistan province at 9.26 p.m. local time Saturday, the statement said.The targeted militants were planting a landmine along a main road and the strike also destroyed an explosive-packed vehicle at the site, the statement added.The Afghan security forces have recently beefed up security operations against the Taliban militants, who have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions in the countryside ahead of winter.
--IANS vin/