The Afghan army has launched an offensive in the southern Taliban heartland to try to weaken the insurgents before the start of the new "fighting season", Sky News Arabia reported.
Police and troops began targeting militants on Monday in four districts of the restive Helmand province.
The defense ministry said 76 insurgents were killed on the first day of the operation, which would also target militants in six districts in neighboring Kandahar, Farah, and Uruzgan provinces.