Twenty-seven Afghan forces and 22 Taliban militants have been killed in overnight clashes in northern Kunduz province, officials said Tuesday.

The clashes happened after militants stormed army and local police posts in Khwaja Pak and Talwaka areas in the outskirts of the provincial capital, also Kunduz.

Safi Amiri, deputy head of provincial council, said that Afghan forces suffered 27 deaths and 15 injuries in the attacks.

He said that the deaths include 24 army soldiers and three local police.

The Defense Ministry said that Afghan forces suffered casualties in the attacks, but did not provide an exact figure.

According to the ministry, Taliban suffered 22 deaths and 18 injures in the counterattacks.

The violence comes ahead of peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan politicians in Moscow, which are expected to kick off today.