17 Taliban militants killed in army operation in Afghanistan: gov't

Seventeen Taliban militants were killed and 11 others wounded during a military operation on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Tuesday, reported Xinhua, quoting the Defense Ministry.

Among the killed militants was a Taliban divisional commander Qari Khalid, the ministry said in a statement.

Some of Taliban's weapons and ammunition were also destroyed, according to the statement.

The northern Afghan provinces have been the scene of heavy battles in recent days as Taliban militants have been trying to capture control of key cities in the region.

Violence lingers in war-torn Afghanistan as troops of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) continue withdrawing from the country.

About 3,500 U.S. forces and 7,000 NATO troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan before Sept. 11, the day which is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the United States into war in Afghanistan.