Airstrike kills 16 militants including Taliban key commander in Afghanistan

A Taliban key commander Mullah Yaqub along with 15 of his men were killed as military planes struck a gathering of militants in Kushindi district of northern Afghanistan’s Balkh province on Tuesday, army spokesman in the northern region Mohammad Hanif Rezai said.

The air raid, according to the official, was conducted on tip-off at 01:00 a.m. local time, killing the insurgents including Mullah Yaqub, the commander of the Red Unit of Taliban outfit, on the spot. Describing Mullah Yaqub as a notorious commander, Rezai said that Yaqub’s physical elimination could be a major setback to the Taliban fighters in Balkh and neighboring Jawzjan and Faryab provinces.

Taliban militants have yet to make comment.