Taliban Kill at Least 26 Across Northern Afghanistan

The Taliban has launched a flurry of attacks across northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, with local officials reporting that 26 people, police and other security forces, were killed.

Attacks started overnight Tuesday in Kunduz Province, where an attack on Afghan police checkpoint killed 10 people and wounded four. In Balkh Province, the Taliban killed nine more police, and in Takhar Province they killed seven members of the security forces in a gunbattle.

Fighting in Takhar was reported to have continued throughout Wednesday, and the Afghan government claimed 10 Taliban were killed. The Taliban has been escalating attacks across the country.

These attacks come amid reports that a US-Taliban peace deal might soon be reached, including a ceasefire. There are conflicting reports on if the Taliban envisions a temporary ceasefire, but until the deal, they are clearly continuing their attacks.