Kabul, Dec 14 (IANS) An insider attack claimed the lives of 23 security personnel in Afghanistan's Ghazni province on Saturday, an official said.

"Seven local security personnel who obviously under patronage of the Taliban outfit opened fire on their colleagues on a checkpoint in Qarabagh district, where they were asleep, killing 23 on the spot and run away with their weapons," Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying.

The district chief of Qarabagh said that the incident occurred in Liwanai Bazaar locality.

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Majahid, who claims to speak for the Taliban, confirmed the incident.

--IANS ksk/