[Quqnoos] At least 13 Taliban militants and two police were killed Monday in separate attacks in western Afghanistan, officials said.Eight militants were killed and six others wounded in a two-hour gun-battle, erupted in Bakwa district of Farah province, bordering Iran.
Other five insurgents were gunned down in a fighting broke out in the restive Bala Murghab district of northwestern Badghis province as militants stormed a military base, a top regional police official said.
Two Afghan policemen were also killed in the clashes, added Gen Ekramuddin Yawar.
Violence has increased in Afghanistan in the last months as more NATO-led forces are about to arrive in Afghanistan, aiming to turn the Taliban's momentum.
Taliban militants launched a coordinated attack on the presidential palace and some ministries in central Kabul on Monday -- the biggest ever militant operation carried out in Kabul since 2001.
US President Barak Obama has authorised the deployment of an additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan and other NATO member countries also pledged to send 8,000 extra reinforcements.