KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Five militants were killed and five others were arrested after Afghan Special Operations Forces waged an operation in southern Kandahar province during Tuesday night, local police said on Wednesday.

"The night raid operation was launched in Attali locality of Khakrez district, in the northern side of Kandahar province. The security forces received hostile fire from militants during the raid and return fire for self defense," provincial police spokesman Jamal Barakzai told Xinhua.

The clashes left five enemy combatants killed and five militants arrested but no security force member was hurt, he said.

The security forces also seized some amount of weapons and ammunition and destroyed six militants' motorcycles during the raid, the police official added.

Security situation has been improving in Kandahar, the former stronghold of Taliban, over the past months, as security forces have conducted search and cordon operations across the province. But the militants attack government interests in the province from time to time.

The Taliban militant group has not made a comment on the report so far.