Six Members Of Al-Qaeda From Pakistan, 17 Taliban Fighters Killed By Afghan Forces In Musa Qala

Six members of al-Qaeda terror group and 17 Taliban fighters were killed in an operation by Afghan Special Forces in Musa Qala district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, said the National Directorate of Security (NDS). The NDS claimed that ”the al-Qaeda members killed in the operation were from Pakistan”.

Earlier in the day, at least 11 policemen were killed and over a dozen more taken prisoner when Taliban fighters stormed their headquarters in northern Afghanistan, officials said.

A column of more than 400 Taliban fighters on motorbikes attacked Shortepa district police headquarters in Balkh province in the early hours, triggering a lengthy gunfight, provincial spokesman Munir Farhad told news agency AFP.

"Eleven policemen were killed in the attack. The Taliban also suffered heavy losses," he said.

Karim Khan, the Shortepa district chief, confirmed the toll and told AFP the Taliban had captured 13 policemen and set their headquarters ablaze before leaving the area.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying their fighters had overrun the district.

In a later statement, Balkh police said security forces had regained control of the district

The attack comes days after millions of Afghans went to the polls to vote for their next president despite hundreds of Taliban bombings and small-scale attacks at polling stations.