TEHRAN, Apr. 04 (MNA) – Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense announced Sunday that 96 Taliban members were killed and 12 others were wounded in an airstrike by the army in Kandahar and Kunar provinces.

In the past 24 hours, 75 Taliban members, including five suicide bombers, were killed and 12 others were wounded in airstrikes in Arghandab and Panjwai districts of Kandahar province, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

According to the statement, a large number of weapons and ammunition of this group were destroyed in the army airstrikes and several mine factories of this group were also destroyed in this attack.

The ministry also added that 21 members of the Taliban were killed and several others were wounded in a ground and air attack by the army in the city of Chape Dara in the eastern province of Kunar.

Clashes are raging in more than 20 Afghan provinces between government forces and the Taliban, but the US special envoy for Afghan peace in Kabul is trying to persuade the government and political parties to participate at the peace summit in Turkey.

According to reports, the date of the meeting has been finalized and the meeting is scheduled to begin on April 16 and continue until April 26.

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