Local Taliban commander killed in Afghan checkpoint clash

The Afghan police repelled a Taliban attack on security checkpoint in the eastern province of Laghman on Monday, killing three militant, the provincial government said.

"Armed militants stormed an Afghan Local Police (ALP) post in Dawlat Shahi district roughly at 1:30 a.m. local time and the ALP fought back the attack after three hours exchange of firing, killing three militants," it said in a statement.

Among the killed was Abdul Wodood, a local Taliban commander, and eight militants were also wounded during the clash in the province, some 90 km east of capital Kabul, according to the statement.

A police was also injured in the exchange of firing.

The government established the ALP, or community police, in 2010 to protect villages and districts around the country where army and police have limited presence.

Provincial Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi has praised the ALP forces for their quick and effective response to the attack and instructed the concerned officials to provide medical treatment for the injured ALP officer who received wounds in hand, the statement noted.

The Taliban militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambushes and suicide attacks.

They have been on rampage since the beginning of 2015 when the Afghan security forces assumed the full responsibility of security from the U.S. and NATO forces.

The Taliban has yet to make comments.

source: Xinhua