4 Haqqani militants killed in Afghan airstrike

Gardez (Afghanistan), April 12 (IANS): At least four Haqqani militants were killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan's Paktia province on Friday, officials said. "Based on a confirmed tip-off, the airstrike was launched on outskirts of provincial capital Gardez on Friday morning. The sortie killed four militants of Haqqani terrorist group," according to a statement issued by the provincial government. Security forces and civilians did'nt suffer any damage in the strike which was launched by the NATO-led coalition forces in coordination with Afghan security forces, the statement was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency. A number of heavy and light weapons and ammunition were also destroyed in the raid. Haqqani network, a Taliban-linked militant group, mostly operates in eastern provinces and capital Kabul and has been responsible for high-profile attacks on security forces. The network, which was named as a terrorist group by the US in 2012, was yet to comment on the incident. The Afghan security forces, backed by the NATO-led coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants within the past a few months as the fighting season is drawing near in the country. Earlier in the day, the Taliban militant group announced the launch of a yearly rebel offensive against Afghan and coalition forces codenamed al-Fath.