Helmand officials said on Sunday that at least 26 Taliban fighters had been killed in recent operations by Afghan security forces in the province.

Helmand police said that he Taliban attacked Nahri Saraj, Nad Ali, Nawa and highway 601 (Highway 601 in Helmand connects Lashkargah city with the Kandahar-Herat highway) and 26 Taliban were killed in Afghan forces air strikes and ground assaults carried out in response.

Four other Taliban were also wounded in the strikes.

The Taliban has not yet commented.

According to the Helmand police, during the clashes at least four security forces were also killed, and eight others were wounded.

Meanwhile, a security source told TOLOnews that on Highway 601 a number of checkpoints fell into Taliban hands and the highway is now closed to traffic.