NEWS DESK

The Taliban besieged a government and army compound in a remote western province of Afghanistan for the second consecutive day on Friday, killing at least 12 more troops.

The latest fatalities brought the overall death toll for the assault in Badghis province to at least 32 Afghan soldiers and policemen.

Provincial council member Mohammad Nasir Nazari said many more have been wounded and the area is cut off.

He said roughly 2,000 Taliban fighters are involved in the attack, with about 600 Afghan troops and members of the security forces inside the base in the Bala Murghab district.

The Taliban attack first began before dawn yesterday, when the insurgents stormed all the security posts around the government compound and killed at least 20 soldiers and policemen.