14 militants killed in checkpoint attacks in Afghanistan

Some 14 militants were killed following separate clashes with Afghan security forces on Tuesday, officials said.

In one clash, six militants were killed after security forces repelled their attack on security checkpoints in Wata Pur district of eastern Kunar province in the morning.

"A local Taliban leader named Mullah Nazar Mohammad was among the death. The sporadic firing still continues near the attacked checkpoints but our security forces responded to the insurgents firing without any casualties," provincial police chief Gen. Habbib Sayyedkhil told Xinhua.

In a similar incident, security forces killed eight Taliban militants, who attacked police checkpoints along a main road in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the northern Baghlan province at wee hours of the day.

"The attackers tried to ban the main roadway to the neighboring Kunduz province and intercept running vehicles there. After our security forces took action eight militants were killed, seven wounded and many others fled the scene," Baghlan police chief, Gen. Abdul Jabar Purdili, told Xinhua.

The Taliban militant group has yet to make comments.

In a separate development, Abu Haziffa, Taliban's military chief for northern Kunduz province, was killed along four other militants following an air strike in Ali Abad district of Kunduz on Monday, provincial official said.

The Taliban-led militancy has been rampant since mid-April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive against Afghan security forces.

The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government. Endi