At least 19 militants, including 17 fighters affiliated to al-Qaida, were killed in an operation by Afghan forces in Charkh district in Logar Province, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Friday. 

The statement said that 12 of those killed were Chechens and four of them were Afghans. 

The operation was carried out in Pengram and Zaid Lala areas in Charkh district, the statement said. 

According to the statement, a key commander of the group was also killed in the operation.