By Xinhua
Kabul : Afghan and the US-led coalition forces have killed several militants and detained 10 in a major offensive in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, a statement said Monday.
The combined force Sunday conducted an extensive search operation in the Musa Qaleh district targeting people associated with an insurgent weapons facilitator, who is believed to have been killed in an earlier operation in the area, the statement said.
According to the statement, the combined forces killed a number of militants holed up in the buildings in that area and managed to detain 10 people, who are believed to have links to insurgent weapons facilitation networks in the country.
At least two civilians were also injured in the operation, the statement said.
Earlier, Afghan troops backed by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) launched a joint operation Dec 7 to regain control of Musa Qala district and evict Taliban fighters in Helmand province.
Rising militancy-related violence has killed over 6,000 people this year in war-ravaged Afghanistan.