Taliban attacks government building in Afghan city, killing 2

Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers launched an attack Monday on a government agency building in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, sources said. The coordinated attack took place on the day when Taliban insurgent group started their yearly offensive against security forces and government targets. "Militants numbered five to four targeted Nangarhar Directorate of Justice's office at around 09:45 a.m. (local time). Two policemen were killed at the gate. The fast-reaction forces arrived at the scene and the clash is ongoing," a security source told Xinhua. "There is fear of casualties on civilians too. Details will be made public later on the day," the source said. The clash followed a bomb blast near Jalalabad city Fire Department, which injured six people, including four civilians in the city, 120 km east of Kabul. Earlier on Monday, more than 300 Taliban, including foreign militants, raided army and police security checkpoints in eastern Ghazni province, leaving three people killed and 10 others wounded. The gunfight was continuing there, a defense ministry official said. In northern Jawzjan province, three policemen were killed, one wounded while one police went missing in similar attack early Monday morning.