FAIZABAD (PAN): At least 10 insurgents and two Afghan soldiers were killed and 20 others wounded during clashes in the Jarm district of northeastern Badakhshan province, officials said on Saturday.
The casualties happened after security forces launched an operation to clear a road the Taliban had blocked in Pul-i-Mughal area, the Badakhshan police chief said.
Brig. Gen. Imamuddin Motmain told Pajhwok Afghan News 18 insurgents and two policemen were among the wounded. Civilians suffered no casualties in the clashes.
But Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed five policemen were killed and six others captured as a result of the firefights. He acknowledged the loss of only two militants.
Mujahid said they had seized a police post in the wake of a seven-hour clash in Pul-i-Ali. But Motmain spurned the claim as groundless.
Elsewhere, Taliban commander Akramullah was killed and two others were wounded during a battle in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.
The overnight clash erupted when security forces were patrolling Qarghan area, said the district chief, Amanuddin Qureshi.
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