The overnight attacks, also wounding at least 21 members of security forces, took place in northern Sar-e-Pul province and its capital Sayyad district, officials said. The latest violence comes as peace initiatives move forward on several fronts.

The Afghan Taliban have been carrying out near-daily attacks targeting government forces despite stepped-up efforts to find a negotiated end to the country's 17-year war.
The Afghan Taliban have been carrying out near-daily attacks targeting government forces despite stepped-up efforts to find a negotiated end to the country's 17-year war.
(Reuters)
At least 15 members of Afghan security forces were killed after the Taliban launched two overnight attacks in northern Sar-e-Pul province, an official said on Tuesday. Provincial council chief Mohammad Noor Rahmani said that 21 members of government forces were also wounded in the attacks that took place late on Monday.  He said gun battles raged for several hours in Sayyad district, the provincial capital and outside Sar-e-Pul. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousof Ahmadi claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Those killed also included a commander of local police for Sayyad district, TRT World's Bilal Sawary said, reporting from Kabul. 
In one attack, on the outskirts of the provincial capital, heavy artillery fire by Afghan forces trying to repel the insurgents sent local residents fleeing for safety. Fighting despite talks The Taliban have been carrying out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan forces despite stepped-up efforts to find a negotiated end to the country's 17-year war.
US President Donald Trump is reported to be planning to cut back on some of the 14,000 US troops currently in Afghanistan
US representatives have recently held talks with officials of several regional stakeholders in Washington's latest shift in its policy on Afghanistan, where its military involvement goes back to support for the Mujahideen fighting the Soviet forces backing the government in the 1980s.
Taliban sources said they had negotiated with US officials in December over proposals for a six-month ceasefire in Afghanistan and a future withdrawal of foreign troops.
Two weeks ago, the Taliban held talks with US officials in the United Arab Emirates in a meeting that drew in Saudi, Pakistani and Emirati representatives.
The Taliban have not yet held direct talks with Kabul, despite overtures from President Ashraf Ghani.
Iran in talks with Taliban  Iran said Taliban representatives negotiated with Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday, as the Islamic Republic seeks to advance peace talks in the neighbouring country to curb the influence of other extremist and militant groups.
The talks were held with the knowledge of President Ghani and were intended to set parameters for negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Monday.
"A Taliban delegation was in Tehran yesterday... They had comprehensive negotiations with the Iranian deputy foreign minister," Qasemi said.
The Taliban says the presence of international forces in Afghanistan is the main obstacle to peace.
Daesh terrorists have also been increasingly active in Afghanistan in recent years, clashing with both government forces and the Taliban and alarming neighbouring countries.Source: trtworld.com