HERAT, Afghanistan, April 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 armed militants and two soldiers were killed after clashes erupted between Afghan security forces and militants in Herat province, west of Afghanistan, a local official said Tuesday.

"The clashes occurred after Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints with guns and rockets in remote Chishti Sharif district late Monday, leaving 15 militants dead and eight others injured," Jilani Farhad, spokesman for provincial government, told Xinhua.

During the clashes four security forces were also wounded, he added.

The Taliban and Islamic State (IS) militants have intensified attacks recently as spring and summer known as fighting season is drawing near.

Earlier on Tuesday, the country's Defense Ministry said that Afghan security forces waged 15 clean up operations and 56 special operations in 11 provinces over the past 24 hours.

The Afghan air force also conducted 43 supportive flights and eight airstrikes against militants while the army's bomb disposal teams also found and destroyed 68 rounds of landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in different provinces over the period, the statement added.