5 civilians killed by militants in Afghan Logar province

Kabul, Aug. 2 (Xinhua-ANI): Five civilians were killed by militants in Logar province 60 km south of Afghan capital of Kabul, a provincial government spokesman said Thursday.

"A total of 10 civilians were kidnapped by militants two weeks ago in Logar but the bullet-riddle bodies of five were found in Shash-Qala area of Charkh district late on Wednesday," spokesman Din Mohammad Darwish told Xinhua.

The militants kidnapped them in charges of working for government and the NATO-led forces, he said.

The Taliban insurgents, who have been waging more than a decade- long insurgency, launched an annual spring offensive starting from May 3 to target Afghan forces as well as U.S. and NATO troops across the country.

The Taliban has warned people against supporting government and foreign troops.

Taliban killed four civilians in Jalrez district of neighboring Wardak province on Tuesday while another five civilians, who were working as daily wagers in a joint Afghan and NATO -led coalition force military camp, were also killed in Jalrez district on July 21.

A total of 3,021 Afghan civilians were killed in 2011, an 8 percent rise from the previous year, according to the United Nations annual report released in Kabul in February. (Xinhua-ANI)