MAZAR-I-SHARIF, May 18: Six militiamen were killed and 10 wounded in fighting between rival factions in northern Afghanistan, an official said on Sunday.

Junbish forces captured Goshfendi district of Sar-i-Pul province on Saturday evening, 100 kilometres southwest of Mazar, said Gen Abdul Sabor, spokesman for Jamiat chief and army 7th corps commander Atta Mohammad.

“Finally last night at 7pm the district was captured by the Junbish forces who had gathered around Goshfendi from three surrounding districts,” Sabor said.

“Six of our men were killed, 10 wounded and more than 150 houses and the bazaars were looted by Junbish forces.

“About 160 families left Goshfendi and fled to Sangcharak district. Now our forces are not in Goshfendi district.”

He said separate clashes between Junbish and Jamiat in Dara-i-Sauf on Saturday produced no casualties.

Junbish official Majeed Rozi, deputy of Gen Abdul Rashid Dostam, denied there was any fighting in the region.

“In fact there wasn’t any serious fighting in Sar-i- Pul,” he said. “Smaller clashes in Goshfendi have been going on for months.”

He claimed the people of the district rose against the Jamiat commander on Saturday and forced him to leave.—AFP