Gun battle kills 5 combatants, wounds 5 in northern Afghan province

MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Three insurgents and two Afghan security personnel were killed as clashes broke out in the northern Faryab province on Saturday, provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yurash said Sunday.

The gun battle, according to the official, erupted after Taliban insurgents attacked security checkpoints and the police retaliated. The fighting which lasted for hours left five more insurgents injured.

The spokesman said the militants fled away after suffering three deaths and five injuries.

Taliban militants have not commented on the report.