Over 40 killed in Afghan fighting within 24 hours

KABUL -- More than 40 fighters with majority of them anti-government militants have been killed in conflict-battered Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, officials said Sunday.

The government forces in latest crackdown on the armed militants, stormed a Taliban hideout outside Qalat, capital of the southern Zabul province on Sunday, killing one insurgent and arresting two others, said an army statement released Sunday.

Similarly, another statement of the army asserted that four militants had been killed and seven others injured elsewhere in the western Farah province over the past 24 hours.

A Taliban key commander Mullah Awaz was also killed in Shindand district of the Farah's neighboring Herat province.

In the meantime, a statement of the northern Badakhshan provincial administration released Sunday reported killing 30 militants and injuring 30 others across the relatively troubled province since Saturday.

According to the statement, only one security personnel was killed and two others injured in fighting against militants in Badakhshan over the period.

Meanwhile, Taliban militants have also killed five people on charge of spying for government in Jarm district of Badakhshan province, police spokesman in the province Sanaullah Ruhani said.

Taliban militants have also killed five police in the western Herat and northern Kunduz province over the past 24 hours.

Fighting often increases in Afghanistan in spring and summer, commonly known as fighting season in the war-battered nation.