At least 26 members of Afghanistan’s security forces were killed in a new wave of Taliban attacks in northern Afghanistan, local officials said on January 1.

The insurgents claimed responsibility for all the attacks.

In northern Kunduz Province, at least 10 Afghan officers were killed and four others wounded in an attack on a police checkpoint in the district of Dashti Archi late on December 31, the head of the provincial council Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi said.

In Balkh Province, the Taliban killed nine police officers in an attack on their checkpoint. The fate of four other policemen who were at the checkpoint was unknown, said Mohammad Afzel Hadid, head of the provincial council.

In another attack on December 31 seven members of the security forces were killed in a gun battle with the Taliban, according to Jawad Hajri, the provincial governor's spokesman. He said 10 Taliban fighters were also killed.

Earlier this week, the Taliban said it has no intention of declaring a temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan.

"In the past few days, some media have been releasing untrue reports about a cease-fire... The fact is that, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no cease-fire plans," the Taliban said in a December 30 statement.

Taliban militants continue to stage near-daily attacks targeting Afghan and U.S. forces, as well as government officials -- even as the group holds peace talks with a U.S. envoy tasked with negotiating an end to the military conflict in Afghanistan.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa