MAIMANA, Afghanistan, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Two police officers and six Taliban militants were killed following a clash in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab Tuesday night, local police said Wednesday.
"Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Khwaja Sabz Posh district, Faryab province last night, but the attacker faced fierce resistance of security forces," Sayyed Sarwar Housaini, spokesman of 707 Pamir Police Zone based in the region, told Xinhua.
Three militants and four police officers were also wounded during the gunfight, he said.
Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful region in the north, where Taliban have been recruiting from among the youth.
A temporary unilateral ceasefire by the Afghan government with Taliban militants went into effect on Tuesday, but the Taliban attacked government forces, killing and injuring several security force members elsewhere in the country Tuesday.
