KABUL, Dec. 10 -- Afghan and the U.S.-led Coalition forces conducted an operation Sunday targeting insurgent networks in southern Afghan province of Helmand, in which several militants were killed, 10 other militants were detained, and two civilians were wounded, said a Coalition statement on Monday.

       The combined force conducted a search of compounds in the Musa Qaleh district targeting people associated with an insurgent weapons facilitator believed to have been killed in an earlier Coalition forces' precision strike in the area, the statement said.

       Using a combination of accurate, conventional munitions and small-arms, the combined force returned fire, killing the militants, and 10 people suspected of having links to insurgent weapons facilitation networks were also detained in the joint operation, according to the statement.

       Afghan army backed by foreign troops has launched joint operation on December 7th to regain the control of lawless Musa Qala district and evict Taliban fighters in Helmand province.

       Rising militancy-related violence has killed over 6,000 people this year in Afghanistan.