Taliban commander among 30 rebels killed in Afghanistan

KABUL - At least 30 Taliban militants, including a rebel commander, were killed in clashes with security forces in Afghanistan, Xinhua reported Saturday.

Halel, a Taliban commander, was killed in an air strike in eastern Paktika province Friday, the NATO-led forces said in a statement Saturday.

“Coalition forces conducted a precision air strike in Paktika province, killing Halel,” the statement said.

Thirty more militants were killed in eastern Laghman province Friday, the alliance said in a separate statement.

The fatalities occurred during air strikes carried out by Afghan and NATO-led forces.