1st LD Writethru: 13 militants killed in fighting in northern Afghanistan

At least 13 militants were killed in an ongoing fighting with Afghan security forces in the country's northern province of Jawzjan, police said on Monday.

"Several Taliban fighters and militants affiliated with Islamic State (IS) stormed Mughul and Helkhani villages in Darzab district Sunday night. The security forces were responding to the attackers and the clashes were still continuing there as of Monday afternoon," provincial police chief Gen. Rahmatullah Turkestani told Xinhua.

"Thirteen enemy combatants were killed and 10 others wounded, so far as we know. But no civilian casualties were reported in remote district in southwestern of provincial capital Shirberghan city as of mid-day Monday," he added.

However, the police official did not say whether any member of security force was hurt during the clashes in the province, 390 km north of Kabul.

The security forces also destroyed several vehicles and motorcycles of the attackers, he noted.

Jawzjan, as well as neighboring Faryab province, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and militants over the past couple of years as the militants have been trying to challenge government forces in the once peaceful region.

The Taliban insurgency has been on the rampage since the beginning of 2015 when the Afghan security forces assumed full responsibilities of security from the U.S. and NATO troops. Endit