60 militants killed in Afghanistan's Helmand

Kabul, Jan 3 (IANS) At least 60 militants have been killed and several others injured in clashes and airstrikes in Afghanistan's restive Helmand province, the army said on Sunday.On Saturday, Taliban shadow district chief of Helmand, Mullah Shafiullah alias Mawlawi Nazim, and his five associated were killed in airstrikes in surrounding areas of the province, Xinhua news agency quoted the Afghan Army's Miwand 215 Corps as saying in a statement.In addition, 54 Taliban militants had been killed and eight others wounded during separate airstrikes and clashes with the army in Sorgodar and Bushran, on outskirts of provincial capital Lashkar Gah, as well as Naway-i-Barakzai, Garmser and Nad Ali districts from early Friday to Saturday morning, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Sunday."Those among the killed militants were a Taliban divisional commander Abdul Salaam and three militants' bomb experts," the statement read.Eight Taliban's control and command centres, weapons, vehicles and several rounds of guided rockets were destroyed during the airstrikes, according to the statement.Helmand province, notorious for poppy growing, is a known Taliban stronghold.The militant group is yet to make comments on the development.
--IANS ksk/