Kabul  - An Afghan police official claimed on Monday that their forces backed by international troops killed and wounded dozens of militants after Taliban fighters attacked police posts in western Afghanistan.

Around 200 Taliban fighters attacked police posts in Bala Murghab district in western Badghis province on Sunday night, Abdul Raouf Ahmadi, spokesman for the police force in the western region, said.

"During the fighting that took place in Mori Chaq village, 46 Taliban were killed and more than 30 others were wounded," Ahmadi said, adding that one policeman was killed and four Afghan security forces were wounded.

He said NATO warplanes also pounded the Taliban's positions during the battle.

Badghis, one of the most impoverished provinces in the country, is relatively calm compared to southern and eastern provinces, where Taliban-led violence is on the rise. The province lies along the border with Turkmenistan.

The bloodshed came a day after the Afghan interior ministry claimed on Saturday that their forces killed more than 100 Taliban militants in a two-day-operation in south-western province of Farah province.

Afghan and international military officials recently said that Taliban militants have largely relied on use of suicide and roadside attacks after they sustained heavy casualties during the conventional battles with the combined forces last year.

The militancy so far this year has left more than 1,500 people - mostly insurgents and civilians - dead in Afghanistan. More than 8,000 people were killed in violence last year. (dpa)