Taliban militants kill five policemen in northern Afghanistan

 At least five Afghan policemen have been killed and another six have been wounded in a fierce battle with the Taliban militant group in the country’s troubled north, security sources say.

 At least five Afghan policemen have been killed and another six have been wounded in a fierce battle with the Taliban militant group in the country’s troubled north, security sources say.

The casualties were caused after heavily-armed militants launched a three-pronged push in the northern province of Baghlan.

Police official Amir Gul Hussainkhil said police repelled the Taliban assault in Baghlan’s Jaded district on Tuesday. Intense fighting is still underway in some areas, the official added. 

Asadullah Shabaz, the provincial council chief, said the road between Baghlan and neighboring Kunduz province remained closed because of the fighting.

He said several houses had been damaged and hundreds of residents had been relocated.

Reports said local schools and markets were also closed across the troubled region. 

The Taliban, meanwhile, claimed in a statement that they killed several members of Afghan security forces and wounded at least three dozen others in the deadly raid.