A pre-dawn Taliban attack in northern Afghanistan has killed at least 13 government forces, Outlook Afghanistan reports.
Officials reported the heavily armed insurgents raided a police outpost in the Khan Abad district of troubled Kunduz province.
The district police chief, Hayatullah Amiri, confirmed the death toll to VOA, saying 14 police personnel were guarding the post at the time. One officer managed to escape, and the assailants took away weapons, ammunition and an armored military vehicle, Amiri added.
The Taliban swiftly took credit for the attack, claiming ensuing clashes killed 17 Afghan police personnel, including their commander, and left an insurgent fighter dead. The Taliban said the insurgents also captured the security outpost.
Taliban spokespeople often issue inflated battlefield gains.
Sunday’s attack came a day after Afghan officials confirmed separate insurgent attacks in the eastern Ghazni province killed at least nine police personnel.