Gun battle leaves 5 insurgents dead in N. Afghanistan

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Five militants were killed as clash flared up between security forces and the Taliban fighters in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province on Tuesday, a local police official Abdul Manan said.

The clash, according to the official, erupted when a group of Taliban fighters were leaving Dasht-e-Archi for the neighboring Khawja Ghar district at around noon on Tuesday, and police opened fire, triggering heavy fighting for a while, leaving five armed insurgents death and forcing others to flee.

Three militants and two police personnel sustained injuries in the firefight, the official asserted.

Taliban militants have not commented.