Taliban militants' attack on Taluqan city, capital of Afghanistan's northern Takhar province, has been repulsed, a provincial government official said Sunday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
The militants fled away after suffering casualties and leaving over two dozen bodies, government spokesman Hamid Mubariz said.
The armed insurgents launched multi-pronged offensives to Taluqan city early Sunday morning, but the security forces returned fire, forcing the insurgents to flee after suffering casualties and leaving 25 bodies behind, he said.
Meanwhile, army officer in the province Abdul Razaq told Xinhua "At least 18 Taliban rebels have been killed and the rebels failed to gain ground in Taluqan city."
Ten more militants and three soldiers have been injured in the fighting. The security forces have been chasing the militants, the officer added.
Taliban militants, who have already captured at least six districts in the troubled Takhar province and have been fighting to overrun the provincial capital Taluqan city, haven't commented on the situation.
The government forces have repulsed the Taliban attacks on the neighboring Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city, and Badakhshan's provincial capital Faizabad over the past couple of days.