Afghan troops discover 5 mines, foil terrorist attack

KABUL, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- During a routine patrol Afghan troops found five mines and thus foiled a terrorist attack in Taliban birthplace Kandahar, south Afghanistan, a press release of the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"Five mines planted by militants under a bridge to target security forces and destroy the bridge in Panjwai district were detected and defused by troops on Monday," the press release added.

The troops, it added, had found three sets of walker-talker from militants' hideout in the neighboring Arghandab district on the same day Monday.

Taliban fighters have not made comment.

Kandahar, the former stronghold of Taliban militants in south Afghanistan, has been the scene of spiraling militancy over the past couple of years.

A roadside bomb earlier this week left five police constables in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province dead for which the Taliban outfit claimed responsibility.