Coalition forces kill five militants in E Afghanistan

The USA-led Coalition forces on Friday eliminated five militants during two separate operations targeting Al-Qaeda and Taliban networks in eastern Afghanistan, said a Coalition statement released here on Saturday.

Coalition forces targeted a Taliban sub-commander in Andar district of Ghazni province who is known to plan and coordinate improvised explosive device attacks, the statement said.

As Coalition forces entered the compound, they came under fire from two armed militants and returned with small-arms fire killing the militants, it said.

A search of the targeted compound produced multiple AK-47s and material to make IEDs, all of which were destroyed to prevent future use, it added.

In another incident, Coalition forces observed multiple armed militants moving towards a Coalition base while airstrikes were followed to engage the militants, the statement said.

As the force approached the location of the airstrikes, three armed militants engaged the force with small-arms fire and the forces returned fire, killing the three, it said.

Multiple AK-47s, hand grenades and military style equipment were also found and destroyed on the spot, it added.

Conflicts and spiraling insurgency have claimed the lives of over 4,000 people mostly militants so far this year in the war-torn country.