KABUL, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least nine Taliban militants were killed after Afghan soldiers conducted raids in two provinces, the command of special forces said Sunday.
"Members of Special Operations Forces launched two raids against militants on southern Helmand and eastern Laghman province on Friday. The militants engaged with the security forces and the troops returned fire in self defense killing nine militants during the raids," Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement.
The operations were launched on Friday, acting on "credible intelligence reports" that indicated militants' presence in the targeted locations, according to the statement.
The special force members also arrested six militants besides destroying a Taliban militants' weapons depot, 500 kg narcotic drugs, and three defense positions during the raids, the statement added.
One car bomb built by the militants were also found and destroyed by the security forces, the statement noted.
Fighting rages across Afghanistan as Taliban militants have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions during the winter in the mountainous country.
The militant group has not responded to the report so far.
