Troops of Afghanistan National Army (ANA) killed six suspected insurgents in Taliban's former stronghold Kandahar, a press release of the Afghan Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

"The enemies of peace targeted ANA's base in Panjwai district with mortar mines Tuesday and the troops retaliated, as a result six rebels were killed on the spot," the press release said.

No ANA soldiers were killed or injured in the fire exchange between the two sides, it added.

Nevertheless, the statement confirmed that one Afghan soldier was injured as an anti-personnel mine exploded in Jabalul Saraj district, some 60km north of Kabul, on Tuesday but it did not give more details.

Continued violence and skirmishes between militants and the law enforcing agencies have claimed the lives of more than 3,700 people including the civilians since the beginning of 2006 in the post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua