At least four Taliban militants were killed and a key commander of the group was arrested in a night raid carried out by security forces in the eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday evening, local officials said Sunday.

The operation was conducted in Khoghyani district in the province to arrest a well-known Taliban commander in the area, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for Nangarhar governor.

“Seven other suspects were arrested during the operation,” Khogyani said.

He did not provide further details about the operation.

Taliban rejected the report and claimed that the Afghan forces targeted a madrassa, religious school, in the district.

The group claimed that two students and a local resident were killed and nine others were arrested during the operation.