KABUL – *Afghan Taliban have abducted 19 policemen and civilians from abus near a check post on the Kandahar-Uruzgan highway on Wednesday morning,local officials said. *

Kandahar Police Chief Gen. Abdul Raziq said the incident took place inChora district of Uruzgan but that efforts are being made to secure therelease of the hostages.

He said among the hostages are policemen. He did not however give detailson how many civilians or how many policemen were abducted.

Raziq said the policemen were captured after a clash with the Taliban.

A source from Kandahar police said the incident started when a group ofTaliban wearing ANA uniforms attacked a police check post along the highwayand killed five policemen and wounded four others.