A key Taliban commander was among 12 militants who were killed on Monday as security forces repulsed an attack by the militant group to overrun a district in Afghanistan's Faryab province, officials said.

"Hundreds of Taliban militants launched massive offensive to overrun Ghormach district but the security forces retaliated and forcing militants to flee after leaving 12 bodies behind including their key commander Mullah Wais," Army spokesman Mohammad Hanif Rezai told Xinhua news agency.