Taleban kill 20 police officers in attack: Afghan official

Taleban militants have been targeting vulnerable police checkpoints across the country since launching their summer offensive in April.

Kandahar, Afghanistan: An Afghan official says at least 20 police officers have been killed after militants ambushed checkpoints in the country’s volatile southern Helmand province.

Mohammad Ismail Hotak, the head of the province’s joint coordination of police and military operations, said on Saturday that the ambushes late on Friday night hit checkpoints in the Musa Qala district, which has been a Taleban stronghold for a long time.

He says the attack wounded 10 police officers and that the Taleban also seemed to have suffered high casualties.

He says the battle is ongoing and reinforcements have been sent from other districts.

The Taleban claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Taleban militants have been targeting vulnerable police checkpoints across the country since launching their summer offensive in April.

Last month, a Taleban attack in Helmand’s Naw Zad district killed at least 19 police officers.