At least 18 Afghan government forces killed in Taliban attacks

March 30 (UPI) -- At least 18 security and police officers belonging to the Afghan government were killed in a pair of Taliban attacks on Sunday, officials said.

Twelve officers and one civilian were killed in one attack that also injured multiple officers. Officials said militants attacked the home of the police chief in the Khwaja Ghar district of northern Takhar province.

Five members of the Taliban also died.

In the other attack, at least six security officers died in the Arghandab district of southern Zabul province, the Ministry of Defense said.

Officials said the assault was carried out by a military "insider" who had defected to the Taliban.

Sunday's attacks continued intensified violence by the Taliban as the U.S.-backed government has been dealing with a political dispute from Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who argues that he won the presidential election last September. Incumbent Ashraf Ghani was declared the winner.

Ghani's government has been unable to proceed with intra-Afghan negotiations outlined in the peace deal signed between the United States and the Taliban last month in Qatar.

Abdullah has rejected a 21-member negotiating team proposed by Ghani as insufficiently inclusive.

The Taliban also rejected the team's composition over the weekend, saying it's dominated by the Kabul administration and lacks representation from other Afghan factions.