Kabul, Kandahar – Four Taliban insurgents were killed as they were planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on a roadside in central Logar province of Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Interior in a statement said: “Last night, four Taliban mine planters, including a local commander of Taliban, were killed by their own explosives while they were planting a roadside bomb.”

The statement further added that the incident took place in Mohammad Agha district of Logar.

“Afghan National Police are working diligently with local leaders and the public to prevent these types of acts from killing and wounding innocent civilians and security forces,” the statement said.

This comes as the Ministry of Defense said at least 10 Taliban insurgents were killed after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in the southern Kandahar province on Saturday.

The Taliban insurgents frequently use IEDs as the weapon of their choice to target security forces and government officials, but in majority of such incidents the ordinary civilians end up being the victims.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UANAMA) released its latest civilian casualties’ report last month, covering a period of three months since the beginning of 2017.

According to the report, the anti-government elements caused 62 percent of civilian casualties – 1,353 civilian casualties (447 dead and 906 injured), reflecting a five percent increase compared to the same period in 2016.

The UN mission also added it recorded a 12 percent increase in civilian casualties caused by pressure-plate improvised explosive devices – 218 civilian casualties (86 dead and 132 injured).

On the other hand, security officials said Monday that nine gunmen were killed during separate clashes with security forces in Helmand, south Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Mohammad Rasoul Zazai, spokesman for the 215th Military Corps, told Pajhwok Afghan News six rebels were killed and one soldier wounded during a firefight in Loy Bagh area of Nad Ali district late on Sunday.

Three more Taliban militants were killed in the Regeshan locality of Greshk district as a result of raid by security forces.

A car, a Kalashnikov, a rocket and a walkie-talkie were recovered during the raid, Zazai added.

Police spokesman Mohammad Zaman Hamdard confirmed the Greshk raid, saying the Taliban had gathered to plan attacks against security forces in the district.

“Three rebels were killed while the rest escaped.”

The Taliban have made not comment yet on the clashes, but their spokesman tweeted that three security officials had been killed by the fighters in Hazara Gano Kala area of Nad Ali district.