Kabul, Dec 12 (IANS)

A gun battle between security forces and Taliban militants in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province left 17 insurgents dead, provincial Governor Shah Waliullah Adeen said Thursday.

"The conflict which erupted in Jarm district Wednesday and was over today (and) has left 17 Taliban rebels dead," Adeeb told Xinhua.

He also admitted that two policemen were killed and two others sustained injuries during the two-day gun battle.

Meanwhile, the Taliban's purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the clash, and in talks with media via telephone from an unknown location said that five policemen were killed in the conflict which lasted for several hours.