MAIMANA, Afghanistan, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's government forces carried out airstrikes killing 13 militants affiliated to the Taliban group including a shadow deputy district chief and two foreign fighters, in northern Faryab province, an official said Saturday.

A Taliban militants' position has been targeted by the Afghan national army forces fighting aircraft on Friday evening, resulting in the death of 13 militants including the shadow deputy district chief and two foreign nationals in Pasthunkot district of the province, Mohammad Hanif Rezai, the spokesman of the army in the northern region said without identifying the nationalities of the two foreign nationals

According to the official, the government forces would continue to target militants' hideouts elsewhere in the militancy-battered country.

The armed opposition group has yet to make comment on the report.