GHOR -- Afghan forces, backed by NATO air support, are conducting winter operations across the nation's western provinces and dealing heavy blows to the Taliban.
The operations, which have been under way for a month, have enabled security forces to regain control of a number of districts and to kill about 200 Taliban fighters.
The operation in Ghor Province, which ran from December 10-20, was the largest and most successful of the winter operations, said Brig. Gen. Sami Sadat, an adviser to the Ministry of Defence.
"The Taliban's fighting capability in Dawlatyar and Murghab districts is degraded," said Sadat. "Four key Taliban centres were annihilated, and their prison was destroyed by security forces."
More than 53 Taliban fighters have been killed and 60 others have been injured in the Samaak Valley in Dawlatyar District, said Ghor Police Chief Col. Aminullah Ahmadzai.
"Samaak is a strategic area where the Taliban have regularly threatened the Kabul-Ghor highway as well as some districts," he said, adding that the militants also extorted money from locals.
"The Taliban had safe havens in this area. They even had their own prison where they would torture civilians and security personnel," he added.