3 policemen killed, 11 missing in NE Afghanistan

Districts of Badakhshan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Three policemen were killed and 11 others were missing following an attack launched by Taliban militants in northeastern Afghan province of Badakhshan, a provincial government spokesman said on Tuesday. "An unspecified number of armed militants launched an attack on a police check point in Wardoj district Monday night leaving three policemen with Afghan Border Police dead,"spokesman Abdul Maruf Rasikh told Xinhua.

The missing policemen may have been kidnapped by militants in the mountainous province, 315 km northeast of capital Kabul, the spokesman said.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the incident. Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told local media via cell phone that Taliban fighters had launched an attack on a police check point in Badakhshan, killing 10 policemen.

He claimed that the militant group made captive 11 policemen besides seizing their weapons and a vehicle.

Afghan and NATO military officials said recently that impressive Taliban-led attacks would occur in the coming weeks and months as spring and summer, known as "fighting season", draw near.

Posted in: Afghan Border Police, Afghanistan, Badakhshan, Badakhshan Province, NATO, Taliban