Taliban insurgents attacked a border police post in southeastern Afghanistan, sparking a gunbattle which left three policemen and 10 rebels dead, a provincial governor said on Tuesday.
A group of militants tried to storm the checkpost in the Gomal district of unruly Paktika province late on Monday and fled after an hour-long battle, governor Mohammed Akram Khepelwak said.
"Three border police were martyred and 10 Taliban were killed in the one-hour fighting in Gomal district," he said.
Three police officers were also wounded in the incident, he added.
Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.
There has been a drastic increase in Taliban attacks this year against Afghan and foreign forces, mainly in south and southeastern Afghanistan.
Two US troops and an Afghan soldier were killed in a firefight on Monday with insurgents in eastern Kunar province, the US-led coalition said in a statement.