Taliban attack on Afghan forces check point kills 13

The Taliban launched an attack early on Monday on a newly-established joint Afghan army and police checkpoint in eastern Ghazni province, killing at least 13 soldiers and policemen, according to a provincial official. Afghan reinforcements were subsequently dispatched to the site of the attack in Khogyani district but were repeatedly ambushed along the way.

Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor in Ghazni, said that seven soldiers and six policemen were killed. Four soldiers were also wounded in the early morning attack at the checkpoint.

According to the spokesman, six insurgents were killed and more than 10 others were wounded during the ensuing three-hour battle with Afghan forces. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to the media.

The joint checkpoint was set up just two days ago in a strategic area to cut off a supply route for the Taliban but was now completely burned down and destroyed, Noori said.

'Give us body of assassin'
The Taliban is demanding the body of an assassin who shot dead a powerful Afghan police chief, in return for the remains of 13 people killed in an army helicopter crash in territory controlled by the militants. So far only 12 of the 25 people killed in the helicopter accident on October 31 have been given to Afghan authorities.

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