17 insurgents killed in gunbattle, explosion

SHIBERGHAN/KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Seventeen insurgents, including a shadow district chief, were killed and 15 others wounded during a clash and an explosion in northern parts of the country, officials said on Thursday.

Ten rebels were killed and 15 others wounded during a clearing operation by the Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos in the capital of Kunduz province, police spokesman Syed Sarwar Hussaini told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said a gunbattle erupted when rebels launched an attack on Afghan Local Police (ALP) officials in the Gor Tepa area. The commandos rescued the ALP personnel form a rebel siege while the fighting was still ongoing, he added. 

But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed killing several police and ALP members in Gor Tepa in the past few days.

Elsewhere, seven Taliban, including a shadow district chief, were killed when the bomb they were making exploded in Jawzjan province, police chief Brig. Gen. Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said.

Four Kalashnikovs, a pistol, an RPG and a walkie-talkie were also seized from the blast site. Abdul Hameed, resident of the locality, said police reached the area soon after the blast and started an investigation.

nh/mud