KABUL, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- 117 insurgents have been killed and 30 others injured in the war against the anti-government armed oppositions in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement released here on Monday.
According to the statement, the security forces launched 20 cleanup operations, 21 special operations and two night operations in different provinces over the past 24 hours to eliminate anti-government groups.
In addition to killing 117 insurgents and injuring 30 others, seven more armed militants have been arrested, the statement said.
Three vehicles and 16 motorbikes belonging to the insurgents, according to the statement of defense ministry, have also been destroyed during the operations.
Meanwhile, Taliban militants who have intensified activities since launching their so-called annual spring offensive in late April have disputed the report of losing 117 fighters in battlegrounds as baseless, claiming the armed outfit besides inflicting huge casualties on government forces has also gained grounds over the past two days.
Taliban militants in their latest achievements overrun Gormach district in the northern Faryab province on Sunday; while fighting for the control of the strategically important Mirza Olang district in the northern Saripul province has been continuing.
Spring and summer are known as fighting season in Afghanistan and Afghans predict more violent conflicts in the coming weeks and months ahead of snowfall in the mountainous country.
