Afghan police killed by Taleban

Eight Afghan policemen and at least four Taleban militants have been killed in a six-hour gun battle in the western province of Farah, Afghan police say.

The clashes began after a police patrol was ambushed in Bala Baluk on Saturday.

Provincial police chief Gen Sayed Agha Saqeb said 17 Taleban were killed, but only four bodies have been recovered. Two other policemen were wounded.

Western Afghanistan has so far been comparatively free of violence, with most fighting occurring in the south.

Gen Saqeb said two of the dead militants had come from the neighbouring, southern province of Helmand, which has been the focus of a recent operation by Nato-led forces.