MAIMANA, Afghanistan, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces launched a spate of military operations leaving at least four militants loyal to the Taliban dead and nine others wounded in the country's northern Faryab province, a provincial police spokesman said Friday.

"Joint Afghan forces including police, the national spy agency and the national army launched a series of clearance operations late on Thursday night in Qaisar district, killing four Taliban militants and seriously wounding nine others, including their local leader Qari Aref," Abdul Karim Yurash told Xinhua.

Several villages have also been retaken from the militants and no security forces sustained casualties during the operations, said the spokesman.

Taliban militants are yet to make comments.