An Afghan official says the Taliban have ambushed a police convoy, setting off an hours-long battle that killed seven security forces, including a provincial police official.

Abdul Hai Khateby, the spokesman for the governor of the western Ghor province, says the attack happened Friday afternoon. He says another two police and a civilian were wounded, and that four insurgents were killed.

He says Faqir Ahmad Noori, the head of operations for the provincial police, was among those killed.

The Taliban, who effectively control nearly half the country, have continued to carry out daily attacks on Afghan security forces despite holding several rounds of talks with the United States aimed at ending the 17-year war.