MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 militants including the shadow district governor for Zari district of the northern Balkh province were killed after fighting aircraft targeted a Taliban motorbikes convoy in the neighboring Sholgara district on Saturday, an army spokesman said Sunday.

Acting upon intelligence reports, the sorties were launched on Saturday afternoon when a Taliban convoy was going to Zari district, leaving 12 insurgents including the shadow district governor Qari Qudratullah, dead on the spot, said Mohammad Hanif Rezai, an army spokesman in the northern region.

The militants were travelling on motorbikes and all the 12 motorbikes were also destroyed in the raids, the official said.

Taliban militants have not commented.