Fighting leaves 14 dead including 6 police in N. Afghanistan

TALUQAN, Afghanistan, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Clashes have left 14 dead including six police in Khawja Ghar district of the northern Takhar province on Saturday, district governor Mohammad Omar said.

"A group of Taliban rebels attacked security checkpoints in Khawja Ghar district early this morning, triggering a gun battle which ended at around 7:00 a.m. (local time), during which eight rebels and six police had been killed," Omar told Xinhua.

Taliban militants who have intensified activities against government interests have yet to make comment on the report.