MAIMANA, Afghanistan, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Ten people including eight militants and two security personnel have been killed as clash erupted in northern Afghanistan's Faryab province on Tuesday, a spokesman for Afghan security forces in the northern region said Wednesday.

The clash erupted after a group of Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints in Shash Tepa area of Shirin Tagab district late Tuesday night and security personnel returned fire that lasted for three hours during which eight attacking militants were killed and six others injured.

Spokesman Sayed Sarwar Hussaini also said that two security personnel lost their lives and two others sustained injuries in the firefight.

The Taliban group has not commented on the report.

Parts of Faryab province have been the scene of Taliban-led insurgency over the past few years.