MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Afghan security forces killed 16 Taliban affiliated insurgents and wounded nine others following a heavy counter-offensive in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, a local official said Friday.

The clash happened late on Thursday night and continued until early Friday morning, when the militants launched a massive attack on security forces in Alam Khil area of Balkh district, leaving 16 militants dead and nine others wounded, Abdul Hadi Jamal, a press officer of the Army Corps 217 Pamir told Xinhua.

Three security personnel have also been wounded during the incident, the official confirmed.

Fighting between government forces and Taliban fighters often gets intense in spring and summer as the seasons are locally branded as the fighting time of year.

The militant group has yet to respond to the report.