KABUL, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan army continued mopping-up operations against militants as the Taliban has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its positions ahead of winter in the mountainous country, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said Friday.

Forty-four militants have been killed and 11 others injured when Afghan army in coordination with police and national intelligence agency personnel conducted 18 cordon and search operations and 101 small-range special operations across Afghanistan since early Thursday, according to a statement.

In restive southern Helmand province, 17 Taliban militants were killed and four others wounded after the Afghan Air Force launched airstrikes against their hideouts in Sangin, Nahri Sarraj and Washer districts.

Four Taliban militants, including a local Taliban leader named Haroon, were killed in a similar incident in neighboring Zabul province, the statement said.

Three Taliban militants and one member of the Haqqani militant group were killed and three militants wounded during cleanup operations in three eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Laghman.

In eastern Nangarhar province, 12 Taliban militants were killed and a Taliban defensive position was destroyed following a ground operation in Khogyani district.

The statement said the Afghan Air Force has conducted 116 supportive flights within the period.

The army personnel also seized weapons and ammunition and destroyed three militants' vehicles and two motorcycles during the raids.

Three militants were killed after army soldiers pounded their position with artillery in Char Sada district of western Ghor province while four militants were killed in army shelling in northern Balkh province.

The Taliban militant group has yet to make comments on the reports.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been on the rampage since the beginning of 2015 when the Afghan security forces assumed full responsibilities of security from the U.S. and NATO troops.

The NATO-led coalition forces also speed up their drone strikes targeting militants' hideout and bunkers in rough terrains in remote districts.

The militants also intensified attacks against security forces and staged coordinated large-scale attacks against security forces' military camps and security checkpoints across the country.

On Tuesday, four security force members and eight civilians were killed and six people wounded after a Taliban suicide car bomb blast struck a running military convoy in the western side of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

The statement did not disclose if there were any casualties on the side of security forces. Enditem

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