4 Afghan cops killed in Taliban attack in Laghman province

Four Afghan policemen were killed and one was wounded when Taliban insurgents launched an attack on a police checkpoint in Eastern province of Laghman early Wednesday morning, the provincial government said in a statement."A large number of militants targeted an Afghan Local Police (ALP) checkpoint in Bibe Hajira area along the main road linking provincial capital Mehtarlam to neighboring Alingar district at around 2:30 a.m. (local time). As a result four ALP cops died and one other was injured," the statement said.It also said several Taliban militants have also been killed in the clash in the province 90 km East of Kabul, Xinhua reported.The Taliban has been waging an insurgency since its regime was toppled by a US-led invasion in late 2001.They recently intensified their attacks across the country as spring and summer known as the fighting season is drawing near.On April 12, up to 13 Afghan army troopers were killed when Taliban raided an army outpost in neighboring Kunar province 185 km East of Kabul.The Taliban-led insurgency and conflicts claimed the lives of more than 2, 800 Afghan security forces and over 400 foreign soldiers besides leaving 2,754 civilians dead last year in the central Asian state.