Taliban militants attack security post in western Afghanistan; 10 policemen dead, 3 injured

An Afghan official on Sunday said that the Taliban have attacked a security post in western Afghanistan, killing at least 10 police and wounding another three.

Jelani Farhad, spokesman for the governor of the western Herat province, said the Taliban attacked late Saturday, setting off a gunbattle in which five insurgents were killed.

No one immediately claimed the attack. The Taliban have steadily expanded their reach across Afghanistan since U.S. and international forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a support and counterterrorism role.

In an address Sunday marking the start of Eid al-Fitr, a major Muslim holiday, President Ashraf Ghani reiterated his call for the Taliban to return to peace talks.

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