…As Staircase collapses on Russian Airport tarmac, injuring 4***

At least 10 militants have been killed as clash flared up between Government forces and the Taliban outfit in Khawja Ghar district of Northern Takhar Provinc of Afghanistan.

Police Spokesman in the province, Abdul Khalil Asir, said on Tuesday.

The clash, according to Asir, broke out in some villages of Khawja Ghar district and parts of the neighbouring Dasht-e-Qala region and so far 10 militants have been killed and several others injured.

Three security personnel have also sustained injuries in the fighting, the official added.

Taliban insurgents haven’t commented yet.

Earlier, a mortar mine allegedly fired by militants struck a house in Dasht-e-Qala district, claiming the lives of three people and injuring eight others from a family.

In the meantime, a moveable staircase positioned on a tarmac in a Siberian Airport for boarding a flight to Moscow collapsed on Tuesday, injuring four passengers, Authorities said.

A video of the incident shows the top of the structure collapse as a group of passengers gathered while waiting to enter the airliner.

The injured passengers were brought to a nearby hospital in the city of Barnaul, Russia’s top investigative agency said in a statement.

Authorities have opened a criminal case on an allegation of failure to comply with safety regulations, the Investigative Committee said.

The staircase had passed a safety inspection four months ago, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The airport is now conducting an inspection of all such equipment, the report said.