Kabul, Jul 11 (IANS): A Taliban attack on Taluqan city, capital of Afghanistan's northern Takhar province, has been repulsed, an official said Sunday.

The militants fled after suffering casualties and leaving over two dozen bodies, provincial government spokesman Hamid Mubariz said.

The armed insurgents launched multi-pronged offensives on Taluqan city early Sunday morning, but the security forces retaliated with heavy gunfire, forcing the insurgents to flee.

Meanwhile, army officer in the province Abdul Razaq told Xinhua that "at least 18 Taliban rebels have been killed and the rebels failed to gain ground in Taluqan city".

Ten more militants and three soldiers have been injured in the fighting.

Taliban militants have already captured at least six districts in the troubled Takhar province and have been fighting to overrun the provincial capital Taluqan city.

The government forces have also repulsed Taliban attacks on the neighbouring Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city, and Badakhshan's provincial capital Faizabad over the past couple of days.