By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan 

At least 40 Afghan security personnel have been killed in Taliban’s overnight assault on checkpoints in northern Baghlan province, officials and local media said Wednesday.

Asadullah Shahbaz, a member of the provincial assembly, told Anadolu Agency groups of Taliban fighters stormed checkpoints in Allaudin area of the Baghlan-e-Markazi district last night, killing at least 40 soldiers and policemen. He added the militants also torched a number of checkpoints in this strategically-important part of the district connecting rest of the northern provinces with capital Kabul.

According to Azadi Radio, deadly clashes continued in the area on Wednesday as well.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted that a military base and a checkpoint had been overrun in Allaudin area after Base Commander Amanullah was killed; a large cache of arms and ammunition were also seized.

Afghanistan is witnessing a notable surge in violence with militants staging large scale assaults in different parts of the country.

A day earlier, following a deadly siege by the Taliban for days, an Afghan military base in northern Faryab province fell to the armed group. Tolo News reported fierce battles raged for two days between the security forces and the Taliban in Ghormach district of the province; 43 security personnel were among the casualties; 17 were taken hostage by the Taliban.

Moreover, after four days of deadly siege by the Taliban, the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday claimed to have finally pushed out militants out of Ghazni city, killing 324 Taliban fighters while also losing 70 policemen, 30 soldiers and 40 civilians.

Groups of armed Taliban militants stormed Ghazni overnight Friday, setting fire to a number of checkpoints after engaging in deadly clashes with government forces. Located some 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Kabul, the city of Ghazni is on the main highway connecting the capital with the country’s southern and western provinces.