More than 120 Taliban militants were killed and over 50 others wounded as Afghan government security forces continued clashes in the countryside to prevent the militants from advancing, according to multiple sources on Thursday. Early on Thursday, five militants were killed and three others wounded in a security forces' ambush on the outskirts of Kunduz city, capital of northern Kunduz province, Esmatullah Muradi, a provincial government spokesman told Xinhua. The militants tried to assault police security forces in the area. While the US and NATO troops have been leaving the country, violence in the country is on the rise. In neighboring Takhar province, a Taliban shadow intelligence chief, Ahmadullah for Takhar Thursday morning died of wounds inflicted during a recent battle with security forces in suburban Farkhar district, Abdul Khalil Asir from the provincial police told Xinhua. In the western Nimroz province, five Taliban militants were killed and three Taliban, including Gul Nabi, a Taliban shadow district chief for Dilaram district, were wounded after Afghan Air Force targeted a Taliban vehicle in Dilaram, army's 215th Maiwand Corps confirmed in a statement. A Taliban vehicle, two motorbikes and two AK-47 guns were also destroyed. Forty-three Taliban were killed and 23 others wounded during military operations and Afghan air force-led multiple airstrikes in suburban districts of Marja, Garmser, Nahri Sarraj and on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah city, capital of southern Helmand province on Wednesday, the army corps said, adding 13 militants' motorbikes and handful weapons and ammunition were also desorbed. The province is notorious for militancy and opium poppy cultivation. In western Badghis province, at least 69 Taliban militants were killed and 23 others wounded after Afghan security forces evicted militants from the provincial capital, Qala-e-Naw city, on Wednesday, the country's Defense Ministry confirmed earlier in the day. Heavily-armed Taliban militants stormed and briefly took control of the city on Wednesday before the Afghan security forces launched a counter-offensive. The ANDSF also seized some militants' weapons and ammunition, the ministry said in a statement. "Reinforcement was dispatched and more Afghan National Army commandos arrived in Qala-e-Naw Wednesday night. The security forces' counter-attack is in full swing now and the situation in the city is getting better," the statement said. Sporadic clashes and fighting continued in Qala-e-Naw during Thursday, according to sources. On Wednesday, Afghan warplanes also destroyed a fast-moving Taliban suicide car bomb outside Qala-e-Naw city. The Taliban tried to detonate the massive car bombing near a defense line of Afghan soldiers. The Taliban militant group has not made comments on the reports so far. Details about possible casualties on the side of the security forces were unclear. The Afghan provinces have been the scene of heavy battles in recent weeks as Taliban militants continued their fighting against government security forces and captured about 100 suburban districts out of the country's 400 districts since the drawdown of US troops on May 1.
