Nine Afghan militants killed in clashes

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Nine Taliban and al-Qaida militants were killed in Afghanistan in two separate operations by U.S.-led coalition forces, officials said Saturday.

Among those killed in the Friday raids were two commanders who were believed to have led militant activities against Afghan government and coalition forces, coalition officials told CNN.

There were no reported coalition casualties in the clashes. The al-Qaida and Taliban commanders were "known weapons and foreign fighter facilitators," officials said.

One of the operations targeted terrorist networks in Ghazni province south of the capital, Kabul, while the other happened in the southern province of Kandahar when a patrol came under small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, CNN reported.