A police commander in south-west Afghanistan and 13 of his men have defected to the Taliban.
The governor of Farah province says the men left a police checkpoint on Sunday night taking weapons, vehicles and radio equipment with them.
The commander reportedly poisoned seven officers who refused to join the defection.
The commander was based in Shewan village in the district of Bala Bulak, which was until recently considered a Taliban stronghold. However, insurgents have regrouped there recently.
