Taliban attack kills 11 Afghan police in Baghlan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - At least 11 Afghan police officers were killed when the Taliban insurgents stormed the northern Baghlan province, a local official said on Tuesday.

Noor Zia, a member of the provincial council, said the incident took place late Monday when a group of Taliban insurgents stormed the police directorate in Dasht-e-Alwan area of Pul-e-Khumri city.

He said among killed was the head of above mentioned directorate.

Claiming responsibility for the attack, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed shared pictures of a large cache of arms, ammunition and an armored car reportedly confiscated by the insurgents in the attack.

He claimed 17 policemen were killed in the assault.

Linking the Afghan capital, Kabul with rest of the northern provinces of Afghanistan, the Baghlan province has been site to a number of similar Taliban assaults recently.

Last year, Afghan forces claimed to recapture the Taliban's long-held strategic bastion of Dand-e-Ghori in Baghlan after killing scores of insurgents there.

In September, nearly 200 people, mostly Taliban insurgents, security forces and civilians were killed in Baghlan and neighboring Kunduz provinces amid ninth round of the failed peace talks between the U.S. and Taliban.

The latest surge in violence came amid renewed efforts to revive the stalled peace talks.