Five dozens of Taliban militants were killed in two hours of an airstrike called in after a large number of the rebels stormed a security post in Maiwand district of southern Kandahar province last night, an official said Thursday.

AVA- Insurgents who had assembled from various parts of Kandahar and neighboring Helmand province, stormed the Cheshma check post at midnight (12am), sparking a stiff resistance from security forces, said Kandahar police spokesman Zia Durrani.
He said simultaneously air support arrived and within two hours until 2am, at least 60 assailants were killed and scores of others wounded.  Many weapons belonging to the rebels were destroyed in the blitz.
Durrani said only one security man, who was first injured, later died of his wounds and no one else had been harmed.
The Taliban have so far not spoken to the media about the airstrike --- the second in Maiwand district within a few days targeting the Taliban.
Last month, Afghan special forces backed by air support conducted operations in Band Taimur and Reg areas between Maiwand and Pajnwai districts against Taliban insurgents who had been preparing to stage attacks on security posts.
Those operations resulted in the killing of 73 militants and destruction of their eight hideouts weapons and explosives. The forces also confiscated 10 vehicles and 35 motorcycles from the rebels.