(AP)Three explosions ripped through an Afghan provincial capital, Jalalabad, killing three people and wounding another 20 on Monday. Late on Sunday, Taliban targeted security checkpoints in Afghanistan's northern Sari Pul province, killing at least seven members of the country's security forces, provincial officials said Monday. The insurgents also abducted two members of the force and left five wounded in the attacks near the provincial capital, said Mohammad Noor Rahmani, head of the provincial council. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but provincial officials blamed the Taliban insurgents who repeatedly target Afghan security forces in the province. In recent months, the Taliban have stepped up their attacks, inflicting staggering casualties on Afghan forces, and now hold sway over half the country.

Source: The Telegraph May 13, 2019 19:30 UTC