13 Taliban, 4 police killed in Kandahar clashes

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): At least 13 Taliban militants and four police personnel have been killed in two separate incidents of violence in southern Kandahar province, an official said on Saturday.

Another 12 insurgents and two policemen were wounded after militants stormed security check-posts in Maiwand and Khakrez districts, said Aziz Ahmad Azizi, the governor’s spokesman.

He said the overnight clash in Band Timor locality of Maiwand district left five Taliban militants and three policemen dead and three insurgents and one policeman wounded.

Separately, militants stormed a security check-post in Khakrez district late Friday night, according to Azizi, who added eight Taliban militants and one policeman had been killed and nine militants and a second policeman wounded in the nighttime clash.

However, Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi claimed the fighters killed seven police and captured a check-post in Maiwand district late Friday night.

pk/ma