Four suspected Taliban fighters were killed on Friday as they came in contact with Afghan troops in the troubled Zabul province, Abdul Razaq, a local military official said Saturday.

"The incident took place in Shinkai district as a result four Taliban militants were killed in the exchange of fire that lasted for 30 minutes," Razaq told Xinhua.

One militant was also captured, he added. There was no casualty on the Afghan soldiers' side, he said.

Taliban-linked insurgency has claimed the lives of more than 1, 000 people since January this year in the post-Taliban nation.

Source: Xinhua