At least 38 military, civilians dead in 48 hours in Afghanistan

At least 38 Afghan security personnel and civilians have been killed in night-time attacks across four Afghan provinces, officials said on Friday, amid a spike in Taliban attacks at military checkpoints.

A total of 29 police officers and members of the Afghan national army were killed in Taliban attacks in the western province of Farah, the head of the provincial council, Farid Bakhtwar, said.Taliban insurgents attacked several check posts on the outskirts of Farah city, as well as in three other districts, leaving at least six others wounded, according to the official.In Samangan province in the north, at least seven policemen were killed in an attack by the Islamist extremists, an official said.At least 14 others were wounded in the attack late Thursday in Samangan's Dar-e-Suf district, provincial council member Safiullah Samangani said.A week ago, 14 people were killed and six injured in Taliban attacks on police checkpoints in the same district.On Thursday, President Ashraf Ghani suggested moving forces from smaller checkpoints to bigger bases in order to avoid high casualities.The move, according to Ghani, "will significantly decrease the high death toll of Afghan defence forces."Meanwhile, civilians have again been caught up in the fighting, with officials reporting two people killed by Taliban militants in Jalrez district in the central Maidan Wardak province.The victims were both government employees from the neighbouring province of Bamyan, provincial council members Sardar Bakhtyari and Khawani Sultani said.In the east, Nangarhar province has been hit by a non-stop wave of violence. Five civilians were injured there on Friday by an explosive in Khogyani district, Nangarhar press office said in a statement.On Tuesday, a deadly suicide bombing among protesters in the province left as least 68 dead and wounded close to 170 others. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.