KABUL: Attacks blamed on the Taliban in northern and western Afghanistankilled at least 10 members of the country’s security forces, officials saidThursday, while a land mine explosion in western Herat province killed twochildren.

In western Farah province, police commander Abdul Razaq Alkhani said aTaliban attack killed seven policemen on Wednesday night. The Taliban hit apolice post in Bala Buluk district and the hours-long fighting also killedthree insurgent before the Taliban were pushed back, Alkhani said.

In northern Faryab province, Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincialpolice chief, said a Taliban attack killed three policemen in Qaysardistrict, also on Wednesday night. Ten Taliban insurgents were also killedin the ensuing gunbattle, he added.

The two children killed in a land mine explosion in western Herat provincewere children of a local Taliban figure, said Abdul Ahad Walizada,spokesman of the provincial chief police.

He blamed the Taliban but did not provide more details.