Afghan official says Taliban kill 10 police

KABUL, Afghanistan: An Afghan official says the Taliban have attacked a security post in western Afghanistan, killing at least 10 police and wounding another three.

Jelani Farhad, spokesman for the governor of the western Herat province, said the Taliban attacked late Saturday, setting off a gunbattle in which five insurgents were killed.

No one immediately claimed the attack.

The Taliban have steadily expanded their reach across Afghanistan since US and international forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a support and counterterrorism role.

In an address Sunday marking the start of Eid Al-Fitr, a major Muslim holiday, President Ashraf Ghani reiterated his call for the Taliban to return to peace talks.

Meanwhile, China’s foreign minister has urged leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve relations and establish a crisis prevention and management mechanism during visits to both countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi was scheduled to speak in Islamabad, a day after meeting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul.

Wang said a three-way conference mechanism involving the two countries and China could promote dialogue and cooperation, the Chinese Ministry said in a statement.

“China sincerely wishes for Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve relations, rebuild mutual trust strengthen cooperation, achieve mutual safety and development,” Wang said, according to the statement.

“As Afghanistan and Pakistan’s mutual friend, China encourages them to establish a crisis prevention and management mechanism as soon as possible, to properly deal with any kind of sudden occurrence.”

In Pakistan, Wang “held wideranging discussions” on bilateral relations, regional security and the situation in Afghanistan, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a tweet.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have been uneasy neighbors ever since Pakistan’s independence in 1947.