KABUL, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Up to 46 armed militants have been killed and 19 others wounded as Afghan security forces launched several operations across the country over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said in a statement released here on Monday.

"Afghan security forces have conducted 15 clean up operations and 13 special operations in 13 restive provinces of the country's 34 provinces over the past 24 hours, killing 46 armed militants and injuring 19 others," the statement said.

During the operations, three vehicles and four motorbikes used by militants have also been destroyed, the statement asserted, saying the security forces would continue to root out militants elsewhere in the country.

Afghan forces have speeded up crackdowns against armed insurgent groups to gain more grounds ahead of winter and snowfall in the mountainous country.