Airstrike kills 24

KABUL: About 24 militants, including a local military chief leading insurgents in Afghanistan, were killed when Afghan army warplanes struck a Taliban hideout in Helmand, authorities said yesterday.

“The Taliban military chief for Nad Ali district and 23 militants were killed following an airstrike conducted on Thursday evening against a Taliban main headquarters in Nad Ali, Helman,” the provincial government said.

It rejected claims the targeted compound was a Taliban prison. – Xinhua