KABUL: At least 11 soldiers were killed when their checkpoint came under an attack by insurgents in western Afghanistan, a provincial official said on Saturday.

Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the Farah provincial governor, said four other soldiers were wounded in the gun battle in Bala Buluk district. Mehri said nine insurgents were killed and 13 others wounded.

Mehri said a “large number” of insurgents launched an attack late on Friday night and the battle continued into early Saturday.

The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for the attack but Mehri blamed the group, which has recently stepped up assaults against Afghan security forces in the province.

In southern Helmand province, meanwhile, a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives at a joint army and police checkpoint, killing policeman, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Zwak said 11 other soldiers and police were wounded in the attack, which took place outskirt of Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack in Helmand, but Taliban are in control of the majority of the districts in the province, where they have increased their attacks both against provincial officials and Afghan security forces.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2018