Nine soldiers were killed after Taliban insurgents attacked an army checkpoint in Afghanistan's western province of Nimroz on Monday, a local official said.

"Armed militants attacked the checkpoint in the morning in Khash Rod district along a main road, killing nine army soldiers," Ahmad Arab provincial government spokesman told Xinhua.

Several militants were also killed and wounded during the gun battle, but their number could not be exactly specified as the militants evacuated their casualties after the fighting, he said.

One army trooper was also wounded and the checkpoint was destroyed.

The Taliban insurgency has been on the rampage since the beginning of 2015 when the Afghan security forces assumed full responsibilities of security from the U.S. and NATO troops.

Source: Xinhua