60 hostages freed as Afghan forces storm Taliban-run detention centre

Kabul: Sixty people were set free as government forces raided a Taliban-run detention centre in the Helmand province, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.

"Units of Special Operations Forces raided Taliban-run prison Thursday night and released 60 people taken hostages by Taliban commander Abdul Rahim alais Mullah Manan," Xinhua news agency cited a ministry statement as saying.

Two militants were killed and three injured during the operation, the statement said.

Previously, a similar operation by government forces led to the release of 35 people including women and children from Taliban-run prison in Nad Ali district of the Helmand province in February this year.