KABUL, April 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people have been killed in two separate gunfights in Afghanistan, authorities said on Sunday.

Early Sunday morning, seven Taliban and two gunmen were killed after Taliban clashed with an armed group in Chishti Sharif district of western Herat province, local Ariana News TV reported.

Among the killed was Nasrullah Badghisi, a Taliban divisional commander, according to the report, which said the fighting erupted following a dispute between the rival groups over expanding territory in parts of the remote district.

In eastern Ghazni province, four policemen and seven Taliban insurgents were killed after Taliban attacked security checkpoints in Jaghato district Saturday night, Harif Noori, a provincial government spokesman, told Xinhua.

Five policemen and five militants were also wounded in the exchange of fire, he said.

Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as spring and summer, known as fighting season, is drawing near in the mountainous country.