MAIMANA, Afghanistan, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants' attempts to assassinate the police chief of northern Faryab province led to a gun battle that left eight people, but the police chief escaped unhurt, provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Yurash said Sunday.

"A group of Taliban rebels laid ambush on the convoy of Faryab police chief Nabi Jan Mullakhil in Almar district Saturday afternoon, but the conspiracy was foiled after the security forces opened fire on militants, killing seven rebels on the spot and injuring nine others," Yurash told Xinhua.

Talking from provincial capital Maimana city, the official also admitted that one security personnel lost his life and two others sustained injuries in the firefight.

The Taliban militants haven't commented on the report.