Taliban key commander among 6 killed in N. Afghanistan

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Six militants including a Taliban key commander were killed after fighting aircrafts pounded Taliban hideouts in Chamtal district of northern Balkh province Thursday night, army spokesman in the northern region Abdul Hadi Jamal said Friday.

Mawlawi Badar, according to Jamal, was a notorious commander who had organized subversive activities against government interests in Balkh province and his physical elimination could be a major blow to the Taliban fighters in Balkh and neighboring Jawzjan and Sari Pul provinces.

Taliban militants who just couple of days ago targeted several police checkpoints in Balkh province and killed nearly three dozen security personnel, have not commented.