22 policemen and 76 Taliban were killed today in clashes in the eastern Afghan province of Nagarhar, Afghan officials said.
A convoy of police and army vehicles returning from an operation that killed 16 Taliban was ambushed, and 22 police and 60 Taliban were killed in the ensuing firefight, officials said.
"We lost 22 brave policemen, but the rebels have learned their lesson.
Their attack (on the convoy) was completely repulsed and 60 of their fighters were killed," Nangarhar Assistant Police Chief Masum Khan Hashemi said.
The battle between the police and the Taliban in the Sherzad area lasted for five hours, Hashemi said, adding that the insurgents used light and heavy weapons in the attack on the police convoy.
Police said the initial operation, which killed 16 Taliban, was aimed at helping a local politician who had been threatened by the Taliban.
The Taliban said they killed 84 soldiers and lost five of their own men in the clash.
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