At least five Taliban, including a shadow district governor, were killed Thursday in a military operation launched by Afghan security forces in northern Afghanistan, an official said. "A military operation has been launched in Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province to wipe out an area of Taliban threats," said Ghulam Mohammad Karimi, spokesman for the 209 military corps. "It is our preparation for the upcoming presidential elections." In southern Afghanistan, meanwhile, a helicopter crash killed a soldier with the NATO-led international coalition late Wednesday,officials said. According to dpa, Karimi said Asadullah Peikar, the man appointed by the Taliban as the governor of its shadow government in Khwajaghar district of Takhar province was killed in the operation after travelling to Dasht-e-Archi to help his fellow insurgents.
