5 security forces, 10 militants killed in clashes in S. Afghan province

QALAT, Afghanistan– About five security forces and 10 Taliban militants were killed in fresh clashes in Afghanistan's southern province of Zabul overnight as fighting rages in the country, a local official said Thursday.

"Militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade stormed security checkpoints in Sayywara locality of Shinkay district late Wednesday night.

The security forces fought back the attackers and clashes lasted for hours," district chief Hajji Amir Jan told Xinhua. He said four police personnel and an army officer were killed in the clashes in the district, south of provincial capital Qalat city.

Three police officers and 12 militants were also wounded but the militants fled to nearby mountains after reinforcement arrived at the area, the official noted.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, has claimed that the insurgents' fighters have captured the control of Sayywara. Fighting rages across the war-torn country and clashes between security forces and Taliban have been continuing in at least 25 out of the country's 34 provinces since early April when Taliban launched a yearly rebel offensive.

On Tuesday night, five security forces and four Taliban militants were killed in similar incident in neighboring Shamulzay district.

Elsewhere, seven Taliban militants were killed and six militants and two police officers wounded after Taliban attacked a government forces' outpost in Qala-i-Zal district of northern Kunduz province early Thursday, district chief Fahim Qarluq told Xinhua, adding two militants' motorcycles were also destroyed during the brief engagement.

Fighting between government forces and Taliban fighters often gets intense in spring and summer as the seasons are locally branded as the fighting time of year. Enditem ---