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7 killed after Afghan forces repel Taliban attack on northern province

Xinhua, August 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least six militants and one soldier were killed after Afghan security forces repelled a pre-dawn attack by Taliban militants on a district in the country's northern province of Takhar on Monday, a provincial government spokesman said.

"Dozens of militants stormed Khwaja Khar district center early Monday morning. But security forces launched a counter-attack and killed six militants during the clashes around the district center," spokesman Senatullah Timor told Xinhua.

However, locals said the Taliban militants briefly overrun the district bazaar and local government office buildings in the district, which is located north of the provincial capital Taluqan city, 245 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul.

The militants set on fire shops and security checkpoints during the clashes, according to locals.

"Sporadic clashes were still going on in outer sides of Khwaja Khar as the security forces were pushing back the attackers. The counter-attack operation will continue before the area is cleared of the militants," Timor said, adding two security force members and several militants were also wounded during the battles.

The Takhar province and neighboring Baghlan and Kunduz provinces have been the scene of heavy clashes over the past couple of months as Taliban has been trying to challenge the government forces in the once relatively peaceful region.

Earlier on Monday, the militants stormed security checkpoints around Kunduz city, capital of Kunduz province as they tried to push toward the city center.

On Saturday, the Taliban captured Khan Abad, a key district in eastern of Kunduz city after heavy clashes but the Afghan troops regained control of the district later in the day.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different places of the country, which had claimed hundreds of lives, including militants, security personnel and civilians.

The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people against supporting the government. Endit