[ToloNews] At least 30 members of public uprising forces were killed in an attack by the Taliban
 ...mindless ferocity in a turban...
in the northern province of Baghlan, local officials told TOLOnews on condition of anonymity.
The sources said that the attack happened at around 11 pm on Friday night when a group of Taliban fighters attacked a village in Nahrin district in the province.
The clash continued for six hours, the sources said, adding that the Taliban took all weapons of the forces with them.
The public uprising forces are part of the pro-government forces who fight under the Afghan government's structure to help the National Defense and Security Forces in maintaining the security of different areas.
The Ministry of Interior Affairs has not commented on the report.
The attack happened in Nahrin district of northern Baghlan province before dawn when the militia members attempted to rescue a group of soldiers surrounded by Taliban militants, Fawad Aman, a defense ministry spokesman, said.
"As they were going to help the soldiers, they got ambushed. Unfortunately, 25 members... were killed in the attack," he said.
The Taliban in a statement claimed responsibility for the attack.
Local militias often work with overstretched security forces in Afghanistan.
The violence in Baghlan came as the US and the Taliban officials were due to start a new round of talks in Qatar to end the 18-year-long US presence in Afghanistan.
The talks, in its seventh round, have centred on four issues: counter-terrorism, the foreign troop presence, an intra-Afghan dialogue, and a permanent ceasefire.
US officials have previously said they are hoping for a deal before the upcoming Afghan presidential elections, which have already been delayed twice and are now set for September.
On Tuesday, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid an unannounced visit to Kabul and hoped for a peace deal with the Taliban "before September 1". 
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