Afghan troops in an operation backed by US military launched in Maroof district, southern Kandahar province Sunday eliminated two suspected Taliban operatives and arrested five others, military sources at the site said Monday.

"In yesterday's clean up operation two Taliban fighters were killed and five others were captured two of them are wounded militias," General Mohammad Sarwar the deputy commander of Kandahar Corps told Xinhua.

The operation, he added was over Monday.

"There was no casualty on Afghan and US military side," the general stressed.

However, an Afghan official on the condition of anonymity said that one French soldier was also wounded in gun battle ended Monday morning.

Kandahar, the birthplace of Taliban has been the scene of spiraling militancy over the past couple of weeks.

Two explosions rocked the restive province of Kandahar on Sunday and Monday respectively have left six dead including a pro-government former commander and nine injured including two Britons.

Source: Xinhua