At least five members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) were killed and 5 others were wounded in fighting in Zare district of northern Balkh province, said Mohammad Hanif Rezayee, a spokesman for the 209 Shaheen Army Corps.

He said that the fighting erupted late Friday night after the Taliban fighters attacked an army checkpoint in Zare.

15 Taliban were also killed in the fighting, according to Razayee, who said the Taliban fled the area and the situation is back to normal.

But residents in Zare have said that the Taliban will most likely return.

Meanwhile, Saifurrahman Rahmani, district governor of Zare, said that at least 15 ANA soldiers were killed and 20 more were wounded in the fighting with the insurgents.

He said that the Taliban attacked Zare from four directions.

Rahmani asked the central government to send more troops in the area to repel future attacks by the Taliban.