Three highway policemen were killed and eight army soldiers were kidnapped by Taliban militants in two separate incidents during the last 24 hours, according to Afghan officials on Saturday.
Along with the three dead policeman, one was wounded and another missing after an attack early Saturday on the Kandahar highway on the outskirts of Qalat, the capital of southern Zabul province, Attaullah Haqbayan, head of Zabul's provincial council, told DPA.
Provincial government officials were not immediately available to comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, the soldiers were kidnapped in the Abkamari district of Badghis province on Friday night, Badghis provincial council members confirmed on Saturday.
The army checkpost was attacked and overrun by Taliban forces just after midnight. The men were taken away with all their equipment, Mohammad Nasir Nazari and Monisa Qaderi, both provincial council members from Badghis, said.
Qari Yosuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed the incident on Twitter, saying Taliban forces had taken the soldiers alive, with their weapons.
However, Khaid Safi, a spokesman for the governor of Badghis, said only four soldiers were taken and that the checkpost was only overrun for an hour.
According to the government's information, "two army soldiers who assisted the Taliban in taking over the checkpost went with them and two others were taken as well."
Located in north-western Afghanistan, Badghis is one of most isolated provinces, with Taliban militants present in several districts.
