Roundup: Afghan conflict claims 15 lives, including 13 militants

Afghan militancy and counter-militancy have claimed 15 lives including 13 Taliban militants and two police personnel on Wednesday, police sources said.

In the latest violent incident, anti-government militants conducted ambuscade in Sholgara district of the northern Balkh province on Wednesday afternoon, killing two police personnel and injuring three others, a local police official, Nazar Gul confirmed.

"The armed militants laid ambush in Sholgara district today at 01:00 p.m. local time killing two local police personnel and injuring three others," Gul told Xinhua.

He also blamed Taliban militants for organizing the deadly attack, saying the Taliban outfit by conducting subversive activities wants to terrorize the people.

Meantime, fighting between the security forces and Taliban militants in the eastern Ghazni province had left 13 armed insurgents dead, police said.

"A group of armed Taliban raided security checkpoints in Azad area of Gilan district, Ghazni province early Wednesday triggering gun battle which had left 13 insurgents dead and six others injured," provincial police spokesman Fahim Amiri told Xinhua.

Three Taliban group commanders are also among those killed in fighting, the official added.

One police constable received injuries in the firefight, the official admitted.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of Ghazni province haven't commented.

Both the Taliban and government forces, according to local political and military analysts would intensify activities in spring when the weather gets warm. Enditem