KABUL, Afghanistan, September 24, SPA -- Ambushes and gunbattles around Afghanistan killed at least 26 people, including 12 government employees and unarmed police killed by gunmen inthe relatively calm north, officials said Monday. Three unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehiclecarrying the police and government employees in a remotearea of northeastern Badakhshan province, killing 12 peopleSunday, said police chief Gen. Agha Noor Kemtuz. The attack killed seven police and five governmentemployees. They were traveling to Kabul, Kemtuz said. The police were being transferred to new posts and so werenot armed, he said, adding that the violence could havebeen sparked by a personal conflict between the attackersand the officers. Militant attacks are relatively uncommon in northernAfghanistan, though the area has seen a handful of suicidebomb attacks this year. Gunfire killed a NATO service member Sunday in easternAfghanistan, the alliance said in a statement. It did notprovide any details, including the victim's nationality,though the majority of soldiers in the east are American. Insurgency-related violence has left more than 4,400 deadso far this year, most of them militants, according to anAssociated Press tally of figures from Afghan and Westernofficials.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/485349