AYBAK, Afghanistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 militants including Mawlawi Noorudin, the shadow governor of Taliban for the northern Samangan province, were killed as fighting aircraft struck the armed outfit's hideout in the relatively restive province on Sunday, army spokesman in the region Mohammad Hanif Rezai said.

"Acting upon intelligence report, the fighting planes targeted a hideout of the Taliban rebels in Dara-e-Suf Payan district Sunday morning, killing 12 rebels including Mawlawi Noorudin, the shadow governor of Samangan province," Rezai told Xinhua.

Without providing more details, the official said the security forces would continue to chase the insurgents elsewhere in the province.

Taliban militants have not made comments on the report yet.