Gunmen in Afghanistan's western Farah province stormed the outpost of a government-back militia, killing at least eight of its members.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack late Wednesday in the Khaki Safed district. Officials said the attackers targeted the district's Afghan Local Police, a force created with the help of the U.S. military.

The officials said the gunmen killed the guard outside the post before entering the compound and opening fire.

In northern Afghanistan, authorities say a suicide bomber killed a local police commander and one of his bodyguards Thursday in Badakhshan province. At least 16 people were wounded in the blast at a bazaar in the Keshm district.

The Taliban also claimed responsibility for Thursday's suicide attack.

The attacks on local police followed a suicide bombing early Wednesday in northern Afghanistan that killed at least 13 people, including three U.S. troops.

Local officials said the attacker detonated his explosives in Maimanah, the capital of Faryab province, as the troops were filming interviews at a local park.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, on Thursday called the attack in Faryab despicable, and condemned “the cold, heartless way in which the enemies of peace carried out this attack.”

So far this year, nearly 100 international troops have been killed in Afghanistan. Violence continues as coalition forces have begun withdrawing from Afghanistan and transferring security responsibility to their Afghan counterparts.

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