<span style="color: #222222;">At least 17 militants were killed and over a dozen others injured after Afghan security forces repulsed Taliban attacks on security checkpoints in Kunduz province today. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The police statement, however, didn't mention if there were casualties on security personnel.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The fighting erupted in the mountainous Khawaja Ghar district of Takhar. District chief Mohammad Omar told VOA scores of insurgents from the Taliban's so-called Red Army commando unit staged a surprise attack on the base and surrounding security posts. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Afghan soldiers and police personnel were among the dead, he added.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meantime, Mahboudullah Sayedi, the Governor of Imam Sahib district, said that the fighting left three security personnel injured. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The official also said clean-up operations were underway to ensure lasting peace in the restive district.</span>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;background:white"><br />''</p>