23 killed in clashes in N. Afghanistan

Two pro-government local fighters and 21 militants have been killed in clashes in Afghan northern province of Faryab, local police said Monday.

In one incident, 11 Taliban militants, including a local Taliban leader named Mullah Nasrat, were killed and 14 Taliban wounded after police and pro-government local uprising fighters fought back militants, who attacked security checkpoints in outer sides of Dawlat Abad district Sunday night, provincial police spokesman Karim Urush told Xinhua.

The militants tried to overran the district in northern of provincial capital Maimana city.

In separate clashes in Almar district, western of Maimana, two local uprising fighters and 10 Taliban were killed in similar incident late on Sunday, Urush added.

Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful region in the north, where Taliban have been recruiting from among the youth.

The Taliban militant group has yet to make comments on the report.