INSURGENTS KILL 9 POLICE IN AFGHANISTAN

An Afghan official says insurgents killed five policemen, including their commander, in the volatile eastern province of Logar, a day after four policemen who were abducted in the same region were found dead.

Din Mohammad Darwesh, spokesman for the provincial governor, says insurgents ambushed the five men early Sunday in Baraki Barak district, where the Taliban launch frequent attacks on government security forces.

Insurgents had kidnapped four policemen from neighboring Wardak province on Saturday. Their bodies were found near the provincial capital Pul-i-Alam hours later, he said.

The violence follows the transition of security sovereignty to Afghan forces on Jan. 1 following the 13-year US and Nato-led mission to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban-led insurgency.