KABUL, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-seven civilians were freed from a Taliban prison on Wednesday night when Afghan security forces launched a special operation in the southern Helmand province, the military said Thursday.
"The special operation was launched in Nahri Sarraj district. A gunfight took place after troops arrived at the site of the militants' detention center and one armed militant was killed," Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement.
One ex-soldier was among the freed people, the statement said.
The freed people received medical treatment after being transferred to an army camp, according to the statement.
Taliban insurgents often seize and detain civilians and off-duty soldiers from villages and highways and punish civilians for allegedly spying for government security forces.
The Taliban militant group has not made comment on the report so far. Enditem
