SHEBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- As many as 20 militants were killed and several others wounded after two groups of Taliban fighters clashed in Qush Tepa districts of Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, a local official said Wednesday.
"The clash erupted after a group of Taliban militants was collecting taxes from the farmers in Chaqmachaqur area of Qush Tepa district on Tuesday night when another group prevented them and began firing, which lasted for several hours during which 20 fighters from both sides were killed and several others injured," an army spokesman in the province Nasratullah Jamshidi told Xinhua.
Taliban militants often collect taxes from farmers under the name of ushar (an Islamic law under which a land owner is obliged to pay one out of 10 of his agricultural products harvested each year) to the ruler or needy people.
Taliban militants who are active in parts of Jawzjan province and also fighting Islamic State group in the province are yet to make comment on the report.
