The Afghan Defense Ministry said Monday that the army has killed 28 militants within the past 24 hours as the battles continued with the Taliban insurgent group across the country.

"Afghan army carried out several cleanup operations in Helmand, Paktika and Kunar provinces over the past 24 hours, killing 28 Taliban militants, including an insurgent local commander," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates.

The statement also confirmed that five army soldiers lost their lives as a result of enemy's heavy weapons' firing and roadside bomb attacks over the same period.

The army has seized weapons and ammunition besides defusing 25 landmines recently planted by the militants during the operations, the statement noted.

The Taliban-led violence continues in Afghanistan. Security forces have pressed on to clear the militants in restive provinces, and they are set to take over the full security responsibilities of the war-torn country from NATO-led troops by the end of this month.

The Taliban responds by bombings and armed attacks.

The U.S. and NATO-led troops will switch from combat to support role - NATO-led Resolute Support mission, which will focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan forces by the end of this month, and nearly 13,000 foreign forces will be involved in the mission, according to NATO officials.

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