11 including district police chief killed in N. Afghanistan battle

TALUQAN, Afghanistan, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Four Afghan policemen and seven Taliban militants were killed in a battle in the northern province of Takhar during Saturday night, a local government spokesman confirmed on Sunday.

The heavy clashes erupted after Taliban militants stormed the suburban district of Namak Ab.

"The district police chief Abdul Zahir and three police officers were martyred as they tried to prevent militants from advancing," spokesman Hamid Mubarez told Xinhua.

There were two police and three militants wounded, he said, adding that the militants overran Namak Ab and the remaining security force retreated to a nearby district.

Besides, in neighboring Kunduz province, three civilians, including a child, were killed and four civilians were wounded after a Taliban mortar shell barrage struck Imam Sahib district during a fight between security forces and Taliban on Saturday night, district chief Nazakmir Amiri told Xinhua earlier in the day.

Taliban militants have been continuing heavy fighting against government security forces since the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1.

They said they have captured more than 40 suburban districts over the past one month.