AUSTRALIAN special forces have killed two Taliban commanders, two days after two Australian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan.

The special forces commander says the troops have now killed or captured 20 Taliban leaders this year.

But the Australian Defence Force has been silent on the claimed battlefield successes, with the news instead being released by an Afghan official and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

An Afghan government spokesman said Australian troops killed the two Taliban leaders last Wednesday in Chora district, not far from where Lance Corporal Andrew Jones was murdered by an Afghan army soldier on Monday.

ISAF said those killed were Shah Mahmood, a senior insurgent commander, and the Taliban shadow district governor, Mullah Gul Akhund. Both were killed when they ''attempted to engage'' coalition and Afghan forces. Several suspected insurgents were detained.

In a separate media release, ISAF said Australian forces had captured three Taliban leaders during ''targeting operations'' in May.

ISAF quoted the special forces commander as saying his troops had killed or captured 20 key insurgents since December.

The other Australian killed last Monday was Lieutenant Marcus Case, who died in a helicopter crash.

His comrades attended a memorial service in Kandahar on Friday before his coffin was loaded onto a plane to return to Australia.