Taliban insurgents trying to seize a southern Afghan city killed 14 people including 10 policemen in a coordinated attack which started with a car bombing Monday, officials said.

The assault was the militants’ latest attempt to capture the besieged Helmand provincial capital of Lashkar Gah after they gradually expanded their foothold across the opium-rich province.

“The enemy attacked to breach the security belt in Lashkar Gah this morning, but the attack was repelled by Afghan security forces,” said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.

He said seven militants were killed but did not give a figure for other deaths.

An official source told AFP on condition of anonymity that, apart from the insurgents, 14 people including 10 police were killed and 10 wounded.

The early-morning attack began with a car bombing in an attempt to break through the security belt, a security source and local residents told AFP.

“They seized a check post for an hour before they were pushed back by Afghan special forces,” said a local elder, Maulawi Hanafi.

Source: AFP