MAIMANA, Afghanistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Up to 14 security personnel were killed as militants stormed Afghan forces security checkpoints in the northern Faryab province Thursday, an official said.
"Taliban rebels launched multi-pronged offensives on the checkpoints of national army on a road in Khawja Sabzpush district in the wee hours of today, killing 14 soldiers and destroying their heavy artillery," deputy to provincial council Sibghatullah Silab told Xinhua.
This is the second deadly attacks on army personnel over the past couple of days after the armed Taliban group ended its three-day ceasefire on Sunday night, the last day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the second largest religious festival to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslims fasting month.
Earlier, the Taliban outfit in the early hours of Wednesday attacked the army checkpoints in the neighboring Badghis province, killing 30 soldiers.
Taliban militants, according to Silab, also overran four checkpoints and took away some weapons.
Meanwhile, an army spokesman in the northern region, Mohammad Hanif Rezai, has confirmed the clash and without mentioning the number of casualties said the armed insurgents, after destroying an armored vehicle, took with themselves two more military vehicles.
Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the situation.