The Defence Force says Australian soldiers working in Afghanistan have killed a key Taliban leader.

Defence says Mullah Gul Akhund was killed last week during a coordinated operation by Australian and Afghan forces in Uruzgan province.

It says the regional Taliban leader was wanted by Afghan authorities for ordering the assassination of government officials, as well as attacks on coalition forces.

"The Taliban's shadow district governor for Chora, Mullah Gul Akhund, was meeting with other insurgents in the Karmisan Valley to the north-east of Chora when they were confronted by a rapidly closing force from the Afghan National Police and Special Operations Task Group," the ADF said in a statement.

"The insurgent group attempted to evade capture and engaged the partnered Afghan and Australian force.

"In the ensuing small-arms engagement, Mullah Gul Akhund was killed."

Prominent bomb-maker and tactical commander Shah Mamood was also killed.

The ADF says the deaths will significantly disrupt the work of insurgents in the lead-up to the so-called summer fighting season.

"Both Mullah Gul Akhund and Shah Mamood had direct links to the senior insurgent leadership and represented a clear threat to coalition and Afghan forces, as well as Afghan locals in the area," the ADF said.

"Their deaths will significantly disrupt the command and control network in Uruzgan and inhibit [improvised explosive device] distribution in the area.

"It comes at a crucial time as the coalition braces itself for the commencement of the summer fighting season."

Defence says no Afghan or Australian troops were wounded or killed during the operation.