Taliban commanders among 15 killed in airstrikes: NATO

Abdul Jamil and Juma Din -- the Taliban commanders of Dahanah Ghori and Baghlan-e-Markazi, two districts in Baghlan province -- were the main targets of airstrikes Sunday, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

"The strikes killed 15 insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons," the statement said. "ISAF was able to confirm Tuesday that Abdul Jamil and Juma Din, the Baghlan-e-Markazi district leader, were among those killed."

The alliance said Monday that at least 10 suspected insurgents might have been killed in the air raid.Baghlan Governor Munshi Abdul Majeed put the Taliban's death toll at 18. He said seven others were injured in the airstrikes.

Taliban insurgents, who are mainly active in the south and east, have increased their activities in northern Afghanistan in the past three years.

Afghan security forces are to begin a major operation in the north before the onset of winter to clear the area of the Taliban, according to regional police officials.