14 Afghan policemen killed in Kunduz attack

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – At least 14 Afghan policemen were killed, as Taliban insurgents attacked their check post, in the restive northern Kunduz province, an official confirmed on Tuesday.

Talking to Anadolu Agency, Safiullah Amiri, deputy chairman of the provincial assembly, said the incident took place in the Ali Abad district’s Arz Begi village. He said the commander of the check post was also among the dead.

Taliban Spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed, took responsibility for the attack. In a social media post, Mujahed claimed that 20 policemen were killed in the attack. He further said that a large cache of arms and ammunition were also confiscated.

Bordering Tajikistan, the capital of Kunduz province, Kunduz city, has twice briefly fallen to the Taliban, over past few years indicating their clout in the region.

Coinciding ninth round of the talks between the U.S. and Taliban in last September, at least 22 Afghan security forces had been killed, as the insurgents had staged a similar coordinated attack in Kunduz. Nearly 200 people, mostly Taliban insurgents, security forces and civilians were killed in the subsequent fighting. The Afghan army, later repulsed attacks in Kunduz as well as in neighboring Baghlan province last month.