TEHRAN, Apr. 27 (MNA) – In the past 24 hours, 135 Taliban members have been killed in air and ground attacks in various parts of the country, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that 135 Taliban members were killed and 92 injured in Laghman, Logar, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, Herat, Ghor, Faryab, Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz, Balkh and Kandahar provinces.

A number of weapons, ammunition and roadside mines had been destroyed during this period, the statement added.

Clashes between the Taliban and government forces have escalated in recent days ahead of Turkey's peace summit.

In a joint statement issued, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday called on the Taliban to reaffirm its commitment to "achieving an inclusive negotiated settlement leading to lasting peace in Afghanistan."

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