At least five Afghan policemen were killed and five others wounded after Taliban militants attacked a checkpoint in the western Badghis province on Friday night, a senior provincial police official said Saturday.

“A group of Taliban rebels attacked a security checkpoint in Kandalan area, in the north edge of provincial capital Qala-i-Now city on Friday night. As a result, five policemen were killed and five others injured,” Ghulam Sarwar Haidary told Xinhua.

The militants also took weapons of security personnel at the checkpoint and fled the area, the official admitted.

Taliban militants have intensified their attacks on security checkpoints as government forces have increased military operations against the insurgents in the war-plagued country.