The militants have intensified their attacks nationwide and tightened their grip on the besieged capital of Helmand province southwest of Kunduz.

:: As many as 70 Taliban militants were killed and scores injured after Afghan aircraft dropped bombs on a militant convoy in Kandahar province, an official said on Saturday.

The incident took place late Friday night when the Taliban fighters equipped with military vehicles planned to take control of Nish, Shah WaliKot and Khakriz districts of the province, a police official was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

At least 70 insurgents were killed and several were wounded in the attack.

More than 15 militants’ vehicles and motorbikes were also destroyed during the raid, the official said.

Meanwhile, the Taliban outfit disputed the report as baseless, saying only six civilians were killed in an air raid on parts of Kariz district.