50 Taliban militants killed in Afghan airstrike

Kabul Aug 5 (IANS) At least 50 Taliban militants were killed and three wounded in an airstrike on a militants hideout in Afghanistan s Khost province a local official said on Saturday.

"The strike was conducted in a remote locality in Piri area of Musa Khil district late on Friday evening " District Chief Gulab Mangal told Xinhua news agency.

Mangal said the airstrike was conducted by the US-led coalition war planes in the province 150 km southeast of Kabul. A Taliban hideout together with weapons and ammunition was also destroyed in the attack.

Earlier on Saturday the Afghan Defence Ministry also confirmed in a statement the elimination of 50 militants in Khost but did not give details.

The Afghan forces have beefed up security operations as the Taliban and Islamic State militants have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions across the country.

--IANS
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