10 militants killed in Afghanistan

Kabul, March 23 (Xinhua) Ten militants, including senior rebel commander Maulawi Hassan, were killed in Afghanistan by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said a statement issued here Monday.

'Maulawi Hassan was killed, along with nine of his associates, during an operation that targeted his compound near Kajaki, northern Helmand March 21,' the ISAF statement said.

It added that Maulawi Hassan was a senior insurgent figure in northern Helmand, and his influence extended into western Uruzgan.

'Maulawi Hassan answered to senior Taliban Mullah Rahmatullah who directs insurgent activity from outside Afghanistan. Mullah Rahmatullah replaced Abdhul Wali Akhund, who was killed by ISAF troops in the summer of 2008,' it said.

Conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency had left over 5,000 people dead in 2008 while the violence is predicted to go up in 2009 as the US government has announced reinforcement of troops for curbing the militancy.