KABUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A bloody conflict between security forces and Taliban militants have claimed the lives of 10 armed insurgents in the northern Jauzjan province, while a bomb blast attributed to the Taliban outfit injured 24 civilians in the neighboring Balkh province on Thursday, officials said.
"Ten Taliban fighters have been killed and five others injured as a clash erupted in Qukal Dash area of Faizabad district, Jauzjan province Thursday morning," a security official, Zabit Khan told Xinhua.
Khan, who commanded a unit of local police, said that the clash erupted after a group of Taliban militants stormed some police checkpoints in Qukal Dash area of Faizabad district early morning. Police returned fire, triggering a gun battle.
The official, without commenting on possible casualties of security forces, said that the firefight is continuing in the area.
In another violent incident, which occurred in Jauzjan's neighboring Balkh province on the same day, 24 people, all civilians sustained injuries in a bomb blast.
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