Eleven Taliban leaders and members have been freed in exchange for three Indian engineers who were kidnapped last year, according to TOLOnews and The New York Times.

Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security claims it has confirmed that Asim Umar, the emir of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, was killed during a well-publicized Sept. 23 raid in Helmand province. For proof, the NDS released side-by-side photographs of what it claims to be Umar, both dead and alive.

Taliban fighters have killed six Afghan police officers at a checkpoint in the province of Kapisa to the northeast of Kabul, Afghan officials say.

Officials of the Afghan armed group say shadow governors, Sheikh Abdul Rahim and Maulvi Rashid,were among those freed.

Eleven Taliban commanders have been released from a high-security prison in Afghanistan, according to Taliban officials, in an apparent deal that included a prominent regional leader caught five years ago personally escorting a shipment of nearly a ton of opium.

Taliban officials have met in Pakistan with the top American diplomat who recently led peace negotiations with them, current and former members of the insurgent group said on Saturday.

The Taliban has launched an attack on Taluqan, the provincial capital of Takhar, and has been battling Afghan forces there and in several outlying districts over the past several days.