<p class="title">Afghan officials say a Taliban attack against pro-government forces has killed at least 25 in the northern province of Baghlan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">District chief Fazeluddin Muradi says that the insurgents' attack also wounded at least eight pro-government fighters, during several hours of battle late Friday in the area of Nahrin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A police official, who was not authorized to speak on the issue, confirmed the high death toll.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taliban did not immediately claim the attack, but recently the militant group has stepped up its offensive against Afghan security forces.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The US is opening Saturday in Qatar a fresh round of peace talks with the militants to end the country's long-running civil war.</p>
<p class="title">Afghan officials say a Taliban attack against pro-government forces has killed at least 25 in the northern province of Baghlan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">District chief Fazeluddin Muradi says that the insurgents' attack also wounded at least eight pro-government fighters, during several hours of battle late Friday in the area of Nahrin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A police official, who was not authorized to speak on the issue, confirmed the high death toll.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taliban did not immediately claim the attack, but recently the militant group has stepped up its offensive against Afghan security forces.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The US is opening Saturday in Qatar a fresh round of peace talks with the militants to end the country's long-running civil war.</p>