Dozens of Taliban Militants Killed in Afghanistan

Forty-one militants were killed, 28 wounded and one was detained as the Afghan army continued its mop-up operations to purge the country's restive provinces of Islamist radicals, the country’s defense ministry said in a statement Sunday.

The statement also confirmed losing 11 army personnel as a result of heavy enemy firing and landmine explosions within the same period, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.

The Taliban insurgent group has yet to make any comments.

The Afghan security forces have recently ramped up their countrywide crackdown on the Taliban as spring and summer, known as the fighting season, is drawing near.

Furthermore, seven militants were killed and two police officers were injured after Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in Northern Baghlan and neighboring Badakhshan province overnight Saturday, officials confirmed.