District intelligence chief among 7 killed in Afghan attack

Seven persons, including two civilians, were killed in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan's northern province of Sari Pul on Monday, a local official said.

"Sharraf Uddin, intelligence chief of Sangcharak district, was killed along with his deputy named Kefayatullah and three security force members following a militants' ambush attack in the district at around mid-day,"spokesman for provincial government, Zabiullah Amani, told Xinhua.

A local leader Habibul Rhaman, accompanying the targeted officials, and a passerby child were also killed in the gun firing, he said.

The group was travelling in Langar village after attending a funeral when they came under attack. The militants seized their weapons after shooting them down, local residents said.

Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the incident.

Violence has been on the rise since the drawdown of foreign forces over the past two years as the Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by anti-government fighters.

The NATO and U.S. forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the Asian country.

Nearly 13,000 foreign forces are currently stationed in Afghanistan within the framework of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission to help Afghan forces in the field of training and advising and backing Afghan forces in the war on insurgents. Enditem