KABUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- More than 40 fighters had been killed in clash between government forces and the Taliban in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

In the latest violent incident, Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints in Soch area of Jarm district in the northern Badakhshan province on Wednesday morning, killing seven security personnel and injuring four others, provincial police spokesman Sanaullah Rohani said.

Rohani also said that the Taliban fighters had also suffered casualties in the firefight which lasted for a few hours.

However, Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Majahid in contact with media confirmed fighting in Jarm district, saying the government forces suffered casualties.

Similarly, the Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the northern Baghlan province late on Tuesday night, leaving five local police dead, member of provincial council Assadullah Shahbaz said.

He said that the Taliban also suffered casualties.

One more security personnel lost his life in fighting against Taliban in western Badghis province on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the government forces in crackdown against Taliban fighters, according to security officials, have killed 28 militants in western Badghis, southern Uruzgan and Zabul provinces over the past 24 hours.