At least 17 soldiers were killed and several others wounded after Taliban militants attacked military camps in two Afghan northern provinces early Wednesday, sources said.

In northern Kunduz province, five Afghan army soldiers were killed and six others wounded when clashes occurred in Talawka, a locality, 15 km north of the provincial capital Kunduz city along a road linking the city to bordering town of Shir Khan.

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“The Taliban insurgents were forced back from the site after nearly two hours of fighting. Four militants were also killed,” Abdul Qadir from army’s 217 Pamir Corps told Xinhua.

The latest clashes came as militancy and counter-militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan.

On June 12, at least four people were killed and several others injured as a bomb blast ripped through a mosque in Kabul.

Earlier this month, a well-known imam and a worshipper were killed and two others injured in a prayer-time bombing at a popular mosque in Kabul’s fortified Green Zone.

Last month, at least seven policemen were killed and three others injured in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan’s Farah province, the first major incident after a three-day ceasefire ended.

In July 2019, a senior PPS officer Gen. Abdul Ghaffar died days after being injured in a roadside mine explosion in Kabul’s Qala-e-Zaman Khan neighbourhood.