KABUL, 8 March, 2021 (TON): Afghanistan authorities have confirmed that amid an escalation of violence across the country, at least 32 Taliban fighters have been killed and 23 others injured during clashes and airstrikes within the past 24 hours.

In the military operations in the districts of Arghandab, Panjwai, and Zerai, Kandahar conducted by the ANDSF (Afghan National Defense Security Forces) 13 Taliban fighters killed and seven others wounded, the Defense ministry stated on Sunday.

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) supported the ground forces during the operations.

The ministry said in a statement, the ANDSF also destroyed a vehicle carrying a heavy machine gun, and a number of weapons and ammunition.

According to the statement, “The engineering teams of the army also found and defused 50 rounds of landmine and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Arghandab of Kandahar.”

"The ANDSF targeted militants' positions in Obe, Pashton Zarghon districts of western Herat province, killing four militants and wounding seven others, besides destroying some amount of militants' weapons and ammunition," an army source told the media.

The authorities did not mention if there were any casualties on the side of security forces during the period.

Afghanistan is still under violent clashes even so the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban representatives are being held at Doha, Qatar. However, the talks have been in focus since September 2020 but no advancement in the solution to the conflict is yet seen.