TALUQAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Four militants, including a Taliban local leader, were killed in a clash in Afghanistan's northern Takhar province on Tuesday, a local source said.

"Acting on a tip-off, security forces laid an ambush attack to arrest militants' local leader named Mohammad Omar and 3 of his subordinates in surrounding areas of Darqad district Tuesday morning. The militants engaged with the security forces, 4 of them were dead in the clash," Abdul Khalil Khalili, a press officer of Afghan army told Xinhua.

Two militants were also wounded and arrested by the security forces.

The province has been the scene of clashes between Taliban militants and security forces for long.

Violence has escalated in the previously peaceful northern region over a past few years as Afghan security forces push against the militants in the southern and eastern regions.

The militant group has not made a comment on the report yet.