Afghan official: Taliban ambush kills 7 in country’s north

KABUL – A Taliban ambush on Monday killed at least seven people, including a district intelligence chief and his deputy in northern Afghanistan, officials said.

The attack took place in Sangcharak district in northern Sari Pul province early on Monday morning, targeting the intelligence chief and his deputy, said Zabi Amani, spokesman for the provincial governor. Amani said three army intelligence officers and two civilians, including a small child, were also killed in the attack.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Amani said the Taliban are known to operate in the area.

The insurgents have become increasingly active in Afghanistan’s northern provinces since the U.S.-led international combat mission pulled out at the end of 2014, leaving a training and assistance mission behind.

Meanwhile, in northern Balkh province, four members of an illegal armed group were killed in a gunbattle Monday with another group, said Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor. The fighting in Sholgara district killed one of the group’s leaders and three other men, said Farhad. An investigation was underway.

Last week, Sholgara’s district police chief was killed when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb.