7 killed as Taliban targets gov't office building

Seven people were killed as Taliban insurgent members targeted a government agency building in Jalalabad city, the provincial capital of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Monday, sources said. "Three militants targeted provincial Directorate of Justice's office at around 09:45 a.m. (local time). The security forces cleared the building after exchange of fire lasting for hours," a security source told Xinhua. The coordinated attack took place on the day when Taliban insurgent group started their yearly offensive against security forces and government targets. The deaths included two policemen, two employees of the department and three militants, he said. Up to 11 government staffs were rescued while 10 people were wounded in the incident, he noted. 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. The Taliban, who ruled the country before they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambush and suicide attacks, killing combatants as well as civilians. 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. In another development, one school child was killed and four people were wounded when a rocket fired by the Taliban landed in Syahgird district of eastern Parwan province earlier on the day.