An Afghan official said the Taliban killed eight police in an attack on their post in the provincial capital of the northern Baghlan province.

Safdar Mooseni, the head of the provincial council, says police battled the insurgents for four hours before reinforcements arrived and repulsed the Taliban onslaught, which also wounded two police. The Taliban claimed the attack.

Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces come under near daily attack by the Taliban, who control nearly half the country.

Afghanistan's generals fear that the partial withdrawal of American troops by the summer will further embolden the insurgents.

Washington's peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, is meanwhile stepping up efforts to negotiate an end to the 17-year war, America's longest.