NATO Airstrikes Kill Nearly 20 Militants in Afghanistan: Reports

NATO's precision airstrikes have killed at least 18 militants and destroyed three of their pick-up vehicles in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika, local official said.

MOSCOW, January 3 (Sputnik) — At least 18 militants were killed in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika in airstrikes by the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, Anadolu Agency reported Saturday.

"NATO's precision airstrikes have targeted a convoy of terrorists late Friday evening, killing at least 18 militants and destroying three of their pick-up vehicles," Paktika provincial spokesperson Mukhlis Afghan was quoted as saying by the Turkish news outlet.

According to the spokesperson, investigators were sent to the province's Keyan district on the border with Pakistan to specify the militants' nationalities. It is not yet known whether the convoy came from across the border.

On December 28, NATO officially ended its 13-year International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan, handing security operations to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

The military bloc plans to continue providing training and financial assistance to Afghan forces under the Resolute Support mission, which does not envisage combat operations. Launched on January 1, Resolute Support will include nearly 12,000 troops from 28 NATO member-states and 14 partner countries.