KABUL -- Afghan forces killed 99 Taliban militants and wounded 35 others during the past 48 hours in Bala Murghab District, Badghis Province, the Defence Ministry said in a statement Monday (April 8).
The Defence Ministry last week said Afghan forces had made a "tactical retreat" from a number of checkpoints in the district to "avoid civilian casualties".
Afghan commandos, police special units and National Directorate of Security (NDS) special forces, backed by Afghan and coalition air power, launched an offensive to oust the Taliban from its remaining strongholds in the district, the statement said.
Security forces seized or destroyed tactical vehicles, a large number of weapons and ammunition, it added.
No civilians were harmed in the operations, said officials.
"Since past 72 hours, Taliban are under intensive pressure by ANDSF [Afghan National Defence and Security Forces]. Majority of the key areas are under our control," the ministry said in a tweet Monday.
The Taliban was falsely claiming civilian casualties to relieve military and media pressure, the ministry added.
