KABUL // At least five officers were killed and 22 people injured yesterday in a Taliban attack on a police headquarters in eastern Afghanistan.
The suicide bomb and gun attack on the headquarters in Gardez city was launched about 6am, regional police commander Asadullah Shirzad said.
Nine police officers and 13 civilians were wounded, he said.
The assault involved at least seven attackers, one of whom blew himself up at the entrance to the site in Gardez to clear the way for the others.
One was still holding out more than six hours later, said Mr Shirzad, whose base in the city centre houses regular policemen and special forces.
His description of the attack suggested a well-prepared and coordinated assault.
“One attacker blew up his vehicle at the entrance of the headquarters, opening the way for two others who opened fire on the security forces while another suicide bomber was killed,” Mr Shirzad said.
The head of the police hospital, Dr Shir Mohammad, confirmed the five deaths.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
“About 6.20am a martyr attack was conducted by our mujahideen against a special forces base in Gardez, Paktia,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
“First a car bomb detonated then our mujahideen entered the building, opening fire on police.”
Since launching their spring offensive in April, the Taliban have been attacking Afghan army and police bases, killing several dozen men in recent weeks.
Last month, in the southern province of Kandahar, about 60 soldiers were killed when the extremists attacked their bases, mostly at night.
The insurgents are also targeting the international coalition supporting the Afghan army.
Seven US soldiers were injured on Saturday in an attack by an Afghan soldier who turned his weapon on his instructors and advisers.
The Taliban did not directly claim the attack but described the soldier, who was killed, as a patriot.
On June 11, the insurgents claimed responsibility for a similar attack in which an Afghan soldier killed three US soldiers and wounded a fourth in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
The Pentagon is set to announce it is sending another 4,000 US troops to the country to counter the insurgents.
There are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan, with another 5,000 from Nato allies. They mainly serve as trainers and advisers.
Meanwhile, two officials from Pakistan’s consulate in eastern Afghanistan have gone missing, Islamabad said yesterday, urging Kabul to ensure that they were safe.
“Two officials of our Jalalabad consulate general are missing since June 16 while commuting to Pakistan by road,” the foreign ministry said.
“The matter has been raised with the relevant Afghan authorities, who have informed that all efforts were in hand to probe the incident.”
Relations between the neighbours have soured over claims that Pakistan secretly supports insurgents trying to topple the Afghan government.
Afghan officials frequently accuse Pakistan of supporting the Taliban and providing sanctuary for the guerrillas on its soil with the hope of maintaining influence in Afghanistan.
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until they were toppled by an invasion led by the US in 2001.
They have battled the Kabul government and its foreign allies ever since.
* Agence France-Presse