Over 2 dozen Afghan militants killed in 24 hours

At least 26 anti-government militants have been killed in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours as government forces stepped up operations against Taliban fighters in the conflict-battered country, officials said Thursday.

The government forces killed 13 Taliban fighters in Miwand and Shah Walikot districts of the southern province of Kandahar since Wednesday, according to a statement of the country's national army.

Eleven more militants were injured in the ongoing operations in the districts, the statement said.

The government forces also launched operations against the Taliban in Khan Abad district of the northern province of Kunduz on Wednesday and so far 11 insurgents were killed and three others wounded, said an army statement released on Thursday.

Moreover, two Taliban militants were killed as the explosive device they wanted to plant on a road in Andar district of the eastern Ghazni province early Thursday went off prematurely, provincial government spokesman Aref Nuri said Thursday.

The government forces also captured six Taliban fighters in Jarm district of the northern Badakhshan province on Thursday morning, a local police officer Abdul Razeq told Xinhua.

A total of 21 anti-government militants including 20 Taliban and one Islamic State (IS) fighter have given up fighting and joined the peace process in the eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday, said a statement of provincial government released Thursday.

No official has made comment on the possible casualties of security forces. However, Zabihullah Majahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit claimed inflicting huge casualties on security forces over the past two days.

Government forces have intensified pressure on the armed militants since U.S. talks with the Taliban outfit late last year to find an end to Afghanistan's protracted war.

Local observers believe that both the Taliban and government forces have stepped up operations to gain upper hand in the possible direct talks between the two sides.