Battle kills 5 in northern Afghanistan

At least five people including a security personnel and four Taliban militants have been killed as clash erupted in Pashtunkot district of Afghanistan's northern Faryab province on Wednesday, said a statement of provincial police.

According to the statement, a group of Taliban militants stormed a police checkpoint in Khawaja Musa area of the restive Pashtunkot district in the wee hours of Wednesday. Police retaliated, forcing militants to flee after hours of fighting, leaving four bodies behind.

One police personnel has also been killed, the statement added.

Five more militants and one police personnel sustained injuries in the firefight which lasted about six hours, the statement said.

The security forces would continue to chase the militants in Pashtunkot district and its vicinity to ensure peace in the area, it said.

Taliban militants, who are in control of parts of Faryab province with Maimana as its capital 425 km northwest of Kabul, have not commented on the report yet.