Ministry: 82 Taliban killed in 24 hours

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 3 (UPI) -- Afghan and NATO-led forces killed as many as 82 Taliban in seven provinces within a 24-hour period, Afghan officials said Tuesday.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement eight insurgents were injured and four others detained during the raids in Kabul, Jawzjan, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Logar and Ghazni provinces, Pakistani news agency NNI reported.

The joint forces also found and seized weapons, the statement said.

An Australian special forces soldier was killed in Uruzgan province Monday, bringing to 33 the number of Australians killed in the conflict, Khaama Press reported.

Lt. Gen. David Hurley of the Australian military said Tuesday the soldier was killed during an operation involving Australian and Afghan troops targeting an insurgent commander. The trooper, on his seventh tour to Afghanistan in 11 years, was hit during a small arms firefight.

Also Monday, officials said Taliban carried out a suicide car bombing Monday, killing seven civilians and injuring 23 others in Kandahar province, NNI said.

More than 1,500 insurgents have been killed and more than 1,950 others detained since the beginning of the year by joint forces.