Afghan and NATO forces are planning to launch more operations in Kandahar to clear it of the Taliban, said Afghanistan's acting Defence Minister Assadullah Khalid after touring the province along with NATO forces commander General Scott Miller.

Khalid, after a meeting with Scott Miller, said, "The purpose of our today's (Friday) visit is to assess the security situation and the military operations which have been launched in Maiwand and Ghorak districts as well as the operations which will be launched in other areas in the near future."

Khalid and Miller met Afghan National Army and Police force members as well as the provincial Police Chief Gen. Tadeen Khan, Kandahar tribal elders and commanders leading the military operations against militants and discussed issues relating to security and the operations, reported TOLO News

This was Miller's second visit to Kandahar after being appointed in September 2. The NATO chief first visited the province last October when former Kandahar police chief General Abdul Raziq was assassinated in an attack by an armed man.

Recently, the United States and Taliban agreed in principle to chalk out a framework for a deal that could eventually end the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan.

There are currently around 14,000 US troops and 16,000 personnel from NATO and its allies in Afghanistan.

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