KABUL, Afghanistan

At least 30 Arab fighters were killed by a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan, Afghan authorities claimed Thursday. 

The media office of southeastern Paktika province issued a statement claiming all killed by the strike were Arab bomb makers but did not disclose when it happened.

“The killed Arab militants were working on explosives to prepare bombs for Taliban militants when they came under attack,” the statement said.

Crude bombs known as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are commonly used by the Taliban and have claimed thousands of lives since the current conflict between the Taliban and foreign forces started in 2001. 

Meanwhile, the Afghan defense ministry claimed security forces have killed 110 Taliban insurgents and wounded 52 others across the country in the past 24 hours.

Elsewhere, in northern Faryab province, a bomb magnetically attached to a car killed a prosecutor and wounded three others while they were travelling to their office, according to provincial police director for security, Baryalai Basharyar.

Taliban militants have intensified their attacks on Afghan city centers and against security forces as part of their spring offensive announced in April.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense believes the high levels of violence are a Taliban attempt to gain greater leverage in peace talks with the Afghan government which are expected to resume this summer.