Kabul – l*ocal officials say the Taliban have kidnapped three judges and aclerk from Jawzjan-Sar-e-Pul highway in north of Afghanistan*, Ariana Newshas reported.

Mohammad Noor Rahmani, Head of the provincial council of Sar-e-Pulconfirmed the incident and said that the Afghan security forces wereengaged in battle with the Taliban in the highway.

Following the incident, some local residents said that the Talibanestablished checkpoints on the highway and engaged in clashes with thesecurity forces, adding that the militant group kidnapped six people fromthe highway.

Sources, meanwhile, noted that the electricity in Sar-e-Pul was also cutoff, following the clashes.

Sar-e-Pul is among the restive provinces in north, where the Taliban andIslamic State militant groups are actively operating in a number of itsremote districts.