Afghan soldiers and NATO - led coalition troops eliminated 22 Taliban militants in an operation in the country's eastern Paktika province Monday night, an Afghan army spokesman said Tuesday. "Afghan National Army (ANA) backed by coalition forces raided a Taliban hiding place in Nike district Monday night, killing 22 armed militants, "army spokesman Ajmal Zhwak said. He said no security force member was injured in the operation in the province, 155 km south of capital Kabul. Meantime, the NATO-led coalition forces also confirmed in a statement released Tuesday that"Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed 21 insurgents and wounded one in Nike district after positively identifying the individuals carrying AK- 47s, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and mortar systems." The restive Paktika and neighboring Khost province have been regarded as Taliban hotbed in the eastern part of the insurgency- hit country. Taliban militants have yet to make comments. The militant group, whose regime was toppled in a U.S.-led incursion in late 2001, launched a spring rebel offensive dubbed " Al-Farooq" on May 3 across the country, saying their targets are foreign and Afghan troops as well as legislators and government functionaries.