Afghan troops kill dozens of Taliban insurgents

Afghan and NATO forces killed and injured dozens of Taliban fighters in a joint operation in southern Afghanistan on Thursday morning, according to the Afghan defence ministry.

The operation was launched in Sangin district in Helmand province. The exact number of those killed and injured was not specified in the statement.

The operation, with close NATO air support, is said to be continuing.

Helmand has been a hotbed of Taliban rebels, who clash with government and foreign troops frequently.

A NATO Chinook helicopter crashed in Kajaki district in Helmand on Wednesday night, killing seven NATO soldiers on board. The Taliban claims its militants shot it down.

Due to rising Taliban-linked insurgency, over 1,700 individuals, most suspected to be Taliban militants, have been killed in Afghanistan this year.