Taliban fighters killed in Afghan clashes

Lotfullah Kamran told dpa that about 1 000 Taliban attacked three villages in Andar, one of the most dangerous districts in Ghazni province.

"At least 38 of the attackers, most of them Pakistani citizens, were killed and dozens more were wounded in a six-hour-long battle with Afghan local police and the fighters of the national uprising," Kamran said.

According to Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, the deputy provincial governor, the Taliban "attacked a local police checkpoint in Andar distric”.

One policeman was injured, "while our reports say that 10 to 15 attackers have been killed”, he said.

Taliban spokesperson Qari Yousuf Ahmadi confirmed the attack, saying 10 pro-government militias had been killed by their fighters.

The local militia, known as National Uprising, was recently set up to counter and prevent Taliban attacks in the area.