Clashes leave 14 people dead in Afghanistan

Fourteen people including eight Taliban fighters were killed in clashes in parts of Faryab province on Monday night, a local official said Tuesday. "Units of the national army in coordination with police raided Taliban hideouts in Qaisar and Ghormach district Monday night, and during the operation which lasted for a few hours, eight Taliban militants including their commander Mohammad Rahim had been killed and several others sustained injuries," an army spokesman in the province, Mohammad Reza told Xinhua. He also confirmed that five local police and an army soldier had lost their live in the clash in Faryab province with Maimana as its capital, which is 425 km northwest of Kabul. Taliban militants have yet to make comment.