Afghan security forces recaptured Nawa district in the eastern Ghazni province which had been under the Taliban rule for 10 years, deputy to provincial government, Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said on Saturday.

"Units of national security forces after 13 days of fierce operations evicted Taliban militants from Nawa district and established government control there for the first time in the past 10 years," Ahmadi told reporters.

During the operations, according to the official, 173 militants were killed and a large quantity of arms and ammunitions, including 200 pieces of anti-personnel mines were discovered and defused, the official added.

Confirming the report, the deputy to Afghan army chief, General Murad Ali Murad said in Kabul that the units of national security forces liberated Nawa district from the clutches of terrorists and reopened the markets and shops there.

"The national security forces of the country swept out the terrorists in Nawa district and ended the control of enemies there for the first time in 10 years and reopened the markets and shops there today," General Murad told a press conference.

He also added that the security forces during few days of operations in Nawa district had also discovered 30 tons of ammunitions, including suicide vests and anti-personal mines.

Downplaying a Taliban threat, the general said the Afghan national security forces were capable enough to foil the enemies' offensives elsewhere.

Taliban militants, who launched so-called annual spring offensive on April 24, have conducted series of attacks in different parts of the country including Badakhshan, Farah and the strategically important Kunduz province along the border with Tajikistan.

"The national security forces have foiled enemies malicious designs elsewhere in the country including Kunduz, Farah, Ghazni and Badakhshan and the latest achievement is recapturing Nawa district," General Murad said.

Recapturing Nawa district could be a major setback to the Taliban militants.

Taliban militants had used Nawa district as their coordination center and main bastion for staging attacks across the country.

In another development, a total of 18 militants gave up fighting and handed over their weapons to police in the eastern Nangarhar province Saturday, head of peace commission in the province, Hajji Malik Nazir said.

"Today 18 dissident brothers who were engaged in anti- government activities in Shinwar district and on Torkham-Jalalabad road over the past few years, laid down arms and gave up fighting, " Nazir said.

Taliban militants fighting with the government are yet to make comments.

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