国际英语新闻:Militants defeated, highway reopened in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan: Official

PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants who have blocked the highway in Kilagai area of the northern Baghlan province have been defeated and the road linking Kabul to the northern Mazar-e-Sharif city was reopened Thursday night, Baghlan's provincial police chief Nayaz Mohammad Niazmand said Friday.

Addressing a press conference, Niazmand told reporters here that the militants after suffering heavy casualties fled Kilagai area and the road linking Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif is open for traffic Friday.

Taliban militants, who launched massive offensive on Baghlan's provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri and kept control over highway in Kilagai area for about 10 days, have not commented on the situation.

Meanwhile, the security forces launched cleanup operations on the main road linking Baghlan's neighboring Kunduz province to Takhar province Friday morning, and according to Kunduz police chief Qudratullah Safi the road would soon be reopened.