KABUL, April 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 Afghan police personnel have been killed and four police wounded in a gunfight and an ambush attack in western province of Herat, reported local media Tolo News TV on Friday.
Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints with guns and rockets in Larzanak locality, Shindand district late Thursday, killing 10 policemen, the report quoted district Governor Shukrullah Shaker as saying.
The militants also set off an improvised explosive device (IED) and fired a rocket on responding police unit that arrived at the scene, resulting a police commander killed and four police officers wounded, the official added.
Several militants were also killed and wounded during the gun battle, but their number could not be exactly specified as the militants evacuated their casualties after the fighting, according to the report.
The district, where an Afghan air force base locates, has been the scene of clashes recently.
On Monday, five civilians were killed and seven others wounded in an IED attack in the district bazaar.
In a separate development, three police constables were killed after Taliban attacked security checkpoints in outer neighborhood of Gardez city, capital of eastern Paktia province Thursday night, according to officials.
The violence has been on rise as Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by anti-government fighters since the drawdown of foreign forces within the past three years.
