Afghan security forces killed six militants who stormed the Panjshir provincial governor's office early Wednesday in a brazen assault in one of the country's most stable areas. Panjshir northeast of Kabul was a bastion of anti-Taliban resistance during the extremists' 1996-2001 regime, and has been largely peaceful since they were ousted. The attack by a team of would-be suicide bombers will heighten concerns about the militants' ability to strike in districts where they have little presence or public support.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Two Afghan police officers who had recently rejoined the force after defecting to the Taliban, shot dead seven of their sleeping colleagues on Tuesday, a police chief said. The killings came during a particularly bloody 24 hours for Afghan forces, with another 16 soldiers, police and bodyguards killed in different attacks, underscoring concern about government forces as foreign troops prepare to leave.

Explosions and gunfire rocked central Kabul Friday as the Taliban launched a major attack close to buildings occupied by the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The exact target of the assault was unclear, with intelligence agency facilities and the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) headquarters also caught up in the firefight that was still going on after four hours of violence.

By Amie Ferris-Rotman KABUL (Reuters) - About 600 Afghan women and girls are behind bars for so-called moral crimes, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday, the highest number since the Taliban were toppled almost twelve years ago. Running away from home, usually from abuse and forced marriage, and alleged adultery, which often involves rape, have landed most of the 600 women in prison. That figure is an increase of 50 percent over the last 18 months.