Afghan conflict kills 4 militants in northern province

Four Taliban militants were killed as clash erupted in Dand-e-Ghori area of Baghlan province with Pul-e-Khumri as its capital 160 km north of Kabul on Monday, police said.

"Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Dand-e- Ghori area in the wee hours of Monday and police returned fire triggering gun battle which had left four armed insurgents dead," police spokesman in the province Jawed Basharat told reporters here.

One security personnel was injured in the firefight which lasted for a while, the official added.

Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power launched their so-called annual spring offensive on April 24 in Afghanistan and since then the hardliner outfit has conducted a series of attacks mostly in the shape of deadly suicide bombings in different parts of the country, which have claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians across the war-ravaged country. Endi