KABUL, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 militants have been killed following airstrikes in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, the country's defense ministry said on Thursday.

The Afghan National Army (ANA) Air Force launched airstrikes in Marja, Gereshk and Naway-i-Barakzai districts, Helmand province on Wednesday, killing 20 terrorists, the ministry twitted.

One motorcycle was also destroyed by the attack.

Earlier this month, the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition forces struck a Taliban narcotic lab destroying heroin and drugs worth 1 million U.S. dollars in Helmand, with Lashkar Gah as its capital, 555 km southwest of Kabul.

Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold.

The Taliban has yet to make comments on the report.