KABUL, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Up to 23 militants were killed and 25 others wounded during the military operations in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said Saturday.
"The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have carried out 15 clean up operations and 12 special operations in 13 provinces. As a result 23 militants were killed and 25 others injured," the ministry said in a statement.
Afghan air forces also conducted five airstrikes to demolish the hideouts of the militants, the statement added.
The security forces also freed three people from Taliban custody over the period.
Afghan forces have beefed up security operations against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by Taliban and Islamic State (IS) militants across the country.
The militants responded by armed attacks and bombings.
On Thursday, 15 people, including seven policemen, were killed and 18 others wounded in a suicide bomb blast in Kabul.
