Afghan forces have killed 15 Taliban insurgents and arrested a key commander of the outfit in south Afghanistan over the past one week, officials said on Sunday.

"Fifteen Taliban rebels were killed in an operation launched in Jalai district of Kandahar province eight days ago and concluded on Saturday," said a press release of Afghan defense ministry on Sunday.

A number of arms and ammunition had also been seized by the troops during the operation, it said.

Moreover, Police in Kandahar province arrested a Taliban key commander Mullah Abdul Jabbar from Kandahar city on Saturday, an Interior Ministry statement said Sunday.

Jabbar served as deputy to Taliban notorious commander Mullah Mansoor who was captured by security authorities in Pakistan months ago, said the statement.

Taliban militants have not made any comment on the arrest so far.

Conflicts and Taliban-related violence have left over 320 people mostly civilians dead since January this year in Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2008)