In Balkh, militants stormed a checkpoint early Wednesday and killed at least seven policemen, according to provincial police chief Ajmal Fayez. A Taliban spokesman claimed 11 policemen died in the attack, but Afzal Hadid - a member of the provincial council - put the death toll at nine, adding four others were missing.

Separate assaults by the Taliban killed at least nine members of Afghan security forces in northeastern Kunduz, and seven in neighbouring Takhar province, officials said. The provincial spokesman for Takhar said that at least 11 militants were killed as they attacked a security checkpoint in Darqad, close to the border with Tajikistan.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2020