1st LD Writethru: 5 police killed in checkpoint attack in S. Afghanistan

Five police personnel were killed after Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province overnight Saturday, police said on Sunday.

"Unknown number of militants attacked police checkpoints in north outer side of Sangin district center last night. The security forces responded to the attack. The clash left five policemen and several militants killed," General Nabi Jan Mullahkhel, provincial police chief, told Xinhua.

"A pursuit operation was now launched against the fleeing militants in the district in northeastern of provincial capital Lashkar Gah. An investigation has been launched and details will follow later in the day," the police chief added.

Some eight police forces were also wounded following the clashes, according to a hospital source.

"The injured were shifted to a hospital in Lashkar Gah. A senior provincial police official named Nehmat Roshan was among the killed while Mehar Dil Khan, the district police chief, was among the injured," the source told Xinhua anonymously.

Details of casualties on militants' side remained unknown.

The district was the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and militants earlier this year in the province which is notorious for poppy growing.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since mid-April when the militant group launched a yearly offensive against the Afghan security forces. Endi