Four Afghan police officers were killed after Taliban fighters overtook a police checkpoint overnight in southern Helmand Province.
Government forces are reportedly trying to retake the post in Helmand's Sangin district.
The attack took place as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was in Kabul on Friday for talks aimed at preventing the fragile country from collapsing into political chaos after disputed elections.
Kerry, who arrived on August 7, is working to get presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah to agree to accept the results of an ongoing audit of the votes from June's second-round presidential election and agree to form a unity government.