Twelve Taliban militants were killed as they came in contact with police in Ghazni province 125 km south of Kabul Friday night, a local official Mohammad Nazif Sultani said Saturday.

"The personnel of local police were on routine patrol when they came in contact with Taliban rebels in Waziri village of Muqar district last night during which 12 rebels were killed," Sultani told Xinhua.

However, he refused to say if there were any casualties on the security personnel.

Taliban militants fighting the government are yet to make comment.