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Taliban attacks kill 10 security members E. Afghanistan - officials

ISLAMABAD, Aug 12 (KUNA) -- At least 10 Afghan security force members were killed in two separate attacks by Taliban rebels in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province and western Badghis province, said officials on Wednesday.
Nangarhar provincial governorآ’s office in a statement said that a clash took place in Pachiragam district of the province after the Taliban attacked security checkpoints.
The statement confirmed that at least six policemen were killed and five others were wounded in the attack.
It said that three Taliban were also killed and two others were wounded in the attack. The Taliban were pushed back by the security forces, the statement read.
Moreover, at least four security force members were killed in clashes with the Taliban in western Badghis province late on Tuesday night, said an official on Wednesday.
The clashes took place in Qads district after a number of Taliban attacked the center of the district, said Mohammad Haidar Sharifi, district governor.
He confirmed that four security force members were killed in clashes, adding that three Taliban were also killed and four others were wounded. The Taliban have not yet commented on the attack.
Earlier in the week, at least 10 civilians were killed in two separate blasts in Afghan capital city Kabul and southern Kandahar province amid hopes for start of the intra Afghan dialogues between Afghan government and Taliban rebels.
The attacks came after Afghan Loya Jirga, the grand assembly, in a resolution issued on Sunday approved the release of the 400 Taliban prisoners in an aim to quickly start the intra-Afghan talks.
Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani announced the release the prisoners.
President Ghani, former president Hamid Karzai and other political figures have called on the Taliban for an immediate start to the intra-Afghan talks.
At least 3,200 delegates have attended the Jirga, all in one hall from 34 provinces of the country.
The list of 5,000 prisoners was given to the Afghan government by the Taliban to be released ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations during the peace deal signed between the US and Taliban in Doha, Qatar in February. So far, the government has released 4,600 of the prisoners on the Taliban list, and an additional 500 who were not on the Taliban list. (end) sbk.bs