Kabul, Feb 23 (IANS): Nineteen Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban militants launched an attack on an army checkpoint in Afghanistan, an official said Sunday.
"The militants raided an army security outpost at around midnight (Saturday), leaving 19 soldiers dead and two others wounded," government spokesman Abdul Ghani Ghani told Xinhua.
Seven soldiers were kidnapped following the attack in the eastern province of Kunar, 180 east of Kabul. Several militants were killed and wounded in the gun battle.
The army sent reinforcements to the area and a search operation was launched to rescue the kidnapped army personnel, the official noted.
The mountainous province bordering Pakistan is a known Taliban hotbed.
Afghanistan is due to take over the responsibility for its own security from foreign troops by the end of the year.