Afghan troops backed by NATO forces claim to have killed nearly two dozen Taliban militants in separate operations across the country.

Afghan police sources said nineteen militants were killed on Friday in two separate incidents with Afghan and foreign troops in the southern province of Kandahar, AFP reported.

Taliban militants also claimed that they had inflicted casualties on foreign troops during clashes in the eastern province of Kunar.

However, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) rejected the Taliban's claims; saying only four militants were killed in the operation, adding there were no casualties among the troops.

Although nearly 110,000 foreign troops are currently fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan, they have not been able to provide stability to the war-torn country.

JR/SS/HGL