UPDATE 2 - Four Taliban Militants Killed, 6 Injured In Afghan Forces Operations In Kandahar Province

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th April, 2020) The Afghan security forces have held counter-terrorism operations in the southern Kandahar province, killing four Taliban militants and injuring six others, the country's military said.

Provincial military officials said Taliban militants were planning attacks on security checkpoints in the Mianashin and Shorabak districts of the province, but based on secret information, their plans were thwarted.

"At least four militants were killed and six others were injured during these operations," 205th Atal Corps of the Afghan National Army said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the 207th Zafar Corps said that 10 members of the Taliban, including one of the movement's commanders, were killed and eight more were injured during the clash with security officers in the northwestern Badghis province.

In the western Herat Province, a guard of the Pashtun Zarghun district's police chief was killed in a motorcycle attack, the provincial police chief said, adding that the attackers managed to escape.

In the eastern Paktia province, 13 militants were killed and 22 more were injured during the clashes with the Afghan forces in Gardez, the province's capital, and two other districts, according to Sultan Dawood, the police chief of Paktia.

Dawood also mentioned another incident in the province � a bomb explosion hit a car and killed one civilian in Gardez.

The Taliban have not yet commented regarding these incidents.

At the same time, Mohammad Abdullah, the Taliban's military officer for the Ab Band district in the Ghazni province, was killed on Thursday during the civilian uprising, according to the provincial governor.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense reported another clash between the Taliban and the armed forces � six militants, including one of the movement's commanders, were killed in the western Farah province.

Violent clashes in Afghanistan continue despite the signing of a peace deal between the Taliban and the US on February 29 that called for a reduction in violence in the country.

The agreement was set to pave the way for the beginning of intra-Afghan talks between the militant group and the government, following the mutual release of prisoners, although negotiations have yet to start.