An Afghan soldier and 10 Taliban were killed after the militants captured a key town in northern province of Baghlan, officials said Tuesday, DPA reported.
Dozens of militants stormed police posts in Kuhna Qala area of the Baghlan-e-Markazi district on Monday night, sparking combat that lasted for several hours, Abdul Wakil Hasas, an army commander in the region, said.
"Ten Taliban militants were killed in the fight with army and police forces," he said, adding that one soldier was killed and two troops were wounded.
The militants had captured the main town for two hours "because our forces tactically retreated from the area," but pushed the militants out of the area when the reinforcements arrived, a security official in the area who declined to be named said.
The town is located on the main highway linking the border with Tajikistan in the neighbouring Kunduz province to the capital city.
Taliban are increasingly expanding their presence in the previously peaceful northern region. More than 4,000 German troops are stationed in the region as part of about 110,000 NATO-led troops in the country.
Local media also quoted villagers saying that a civilian man and three of his sons were also killed when the NATO air force targeted the area.
Provincial police chief Kabir Andarabi did not confirm the allegation, saying an investigation was underway.
The report of more civilian deaths by NATO airstrikes came one day after President Hamid Karzai ordered an investigation into an international military operation in the eastern province of Kunar, in which 10 civilians including eight school boys were reported killed.
NATO said on Tuesday that it was investigating the incident.
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