10 Afghan cops die in Taliban attack

The Taliban attack happened in Afghanistan’s western Herat province on Saturday night, Jelani Farhad, spokesman for the governor of the western Herat province, said on Sunday. The attack took place after the Taliban militants stormed a check post in Chesht district of the province. 

The attack set off a gunbattle in which five insurgents were killed. “Four Taliban insurgents were also killed in the clash with security forces,” Farhad said. No one immediately claimed the attack.

Farhad further said that some militants managed to escape with most of the security forces’ weapons at the check post. The Taliban have steadily expanded their reach across  Afghanistan since US and international forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a support and counterterrorism role.

In an address Sunday marking the start of Eid al-Fitr, President Ashraf Ghani reiterated his call for the Taliban to return to peace talks.