Afghan official says militant attack kills 8 policemen

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says a militant attack on a police checkpoint in eastern Nangarhar province has killed eight officers.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Afghan interior minister, said on Tuesday that the attack also wounded four other police officers.

He says the assault happened late on Monday night in Mohmand Dara district, located near border with Pakistan.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the Taliban have recently stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces across the country.