Afghan forces kill 54 militants in 24 hours

Units of police backed by the army have killed more than four dozen Taliban militants during series of operations across the country over the past 24 hours, Ministry of Interior said in a statement released here on Saturday.

"A total of 54 armed insurgents have been killed during series of police operations backed by the army and National Directorate for Security to eliminate terrorists and stabilize security in Afghanistan," the statement said.

The operations, according to the statement, had been conducted in Nangarhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Sar-e-Pul, Uruzgan, Paktiya and Zabul provinces during which nine more insurgents had been wounded and two others captured.

It didn't say if there were casualties on security personnel. Taliban militants fighting the government haven't made comment.