The governor of Zabul, Rahmatullah Yarmal, on Wednesday said that at least 53 Taliban militants including a designated deputy governor of the group were killed in an operation by Afghan forces in the province late on Tuesday.

The governor said the operation was carried out in response to a Taliban attack on a number of security forces outposts in Dai Chopan district in the southern province on Tuesday.

He said that Taliban’s designated district governor for Mizan and Dai Chopan was also killed in the operation.

He said that at least six security force members were also killed in the operation, but they managed to push back the Taliban from the area.

Taliban has claimed that they have captured the Dai Chopan district.

This comes after Acting Defense Minister, Assadullah Khalid, visited southern Zabul province on June 6 and said that those parts of the country which have fallen to the Taliban will be retaken by Afghan forces in the near future as they have stepped up their operations against the militants.

Khalid said the Taliban did not have any achievement in their spring offensive.