KANDAHAR, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one Taliban militants have been arrested in southern Kandahar province, the provincial governor said Wednesday.

"National Directorate of Security (NDS), the country's primary intelligence agency arrested 21 Taliban militants within the past 10 days in various parts of Kandahar province," governor Hayatullah Hayat told a press briefing here.

The arrestees were found to be involved in terror crimes in Kandahar and neighboring provinces.

The security situation has been improving in Kandahar, the former stronghold of the Taliban, over the last months, as security forces have conducted search and cordon operations across the province.

The militant group has yet to make a comment on the report.