MOSCOW, August 28 (Sputnik) – Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have eliminated 60 armed Taliban militants, including Taliban’s shadow governor for northwestern Afghan’s Badghis province, during their ground and air raids in the country’s northern provinces of Faryab and Ghor, the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Afghan National Defense and Security Forces launched ground and air raids in Ghormach district, north west Ghor province. As a result, 60 armed Taliban were killed. Amongst those killed were 11 senior members of armed Taliban including, Qari Mohammad Ayoub known as Lala,” the statement read.

The ministry went on to say that the eliminated group of militants was involved in the attack on Faryab’s military base, which took place on August 14 and claimed the lives of at least 17 Afghan servicemen.

Afghanistan has long been suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation, as the government is fighting the Taliban movement and the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia).

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