Taliban Militants Storm Afghan Police Post, Kill 5
By VOA News
19 April 2009
Officials in western Afghanistan say Taliban militants have stormed a police checkpoint and killed five police officers.
Authorities say the attack occurred late Saturday night on the outskirts of Farah city, in the province of the same name.
Afghan authorities are investigating the attack.
Earlier Saturday in Farah province, U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troops killed two militants after coming under fire while on patrol.
Taliban fighters are waging a growing insurgency in Afghanistan, and security concerns are mounting ahead of the nation's presidential election in August.
Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar told a news conference Sunday that Afghanistan plans to recruit and train 15,000 new police officers before the vote. The nation's police force currently stands about about 82,000.
U.S. officials have also said they expect violence to rise in the coming months as the United States increases its troop presence in the country.
U.S. President Barack Obama has announced plans to send an additional 21,000 troops and trainers as part of a new strategy to combat the Taliban insurgency.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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