Afghan police kill 36 Taliban fighters

KABUL - Afghan police backed by the army and the NATO-led force have killed 36 Taliban fighters, wounded 19 and captured 34 others over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"The units of national police backed by the army and the Coalition Forces launched seven joint cleanup operations in Kabul, Kunar, Balkh, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Ghazni and Helmand provinces over the past 24 hours during which 36 armed Taliban militants have been killed, 19 wounded and 34 arrested," the statement said.

The police also discovered and confiscated 3,480 kg opium, seven machine guns, 560 kg chemical materials used in making explosive devices, 14 different types of anti-personnel and anti- vehicle mines, three radio handsets, 68 kg explosives materials, five motorcycles and two vehicles, the statement added.

However, it did not say if there were any casualties on the security forces.