Ten people, including an Afghan Special Forces' commander, were killed in clashes in two northern Afghan provinces on Saturday night, authorities said Sunday.

In one incident, Mohammad Khan Ahmadi, commander of Special Operations Forces of northern Faryab province, and two of his colleagues were killed after militants ambushed his vehicle in Sholgara district of northern Balkh province, district chief Harif Iqbal told Xinhua.

Ahmadi was travelling from Faryab to attend his father's funeral in Balkh, the official said, adding two of Ahmadi's relatives were kidnapped by militants following the attack.

In neighboring Baghlan province, three Afghan National Police personnel and four pro-government local militia fighters were killed after Taliban militants stormed joint security checkpoints in Baghlan-e-Markazi district, the district chief Khanzada Mazlumyar told Xinhua.

Fighting rages across Afghanistan as Taliban militants have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions ahead of the winter in the mountainous country.

The die-hard militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, killing government troops as well as civilians.

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