Taliban stages attack in Afghan capital

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Taliban suicide bombers carried out a brazen attack in the Afghan capital yesterday, the second in less than a week and a sign that insurgents are determined to keep fighting despite recent overtures of peace from the United States and the Afghan government.

The nine-hour assault on the traffic police headquarters sent heavy black smoke rising over snow-covered Kabul.

It came a week after the Afghan and American presidents agreed that the Taliban should open a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar to facilitate possible reconciliation, and just days after Pakistan said it would release more Taliban detainees to help jump-start the peace process.

The pre-dawn attack began with two suicide bombers blowing themselves up at the gates of the police headquarters. Three heavily armed militants then stormed the compound, authorities said.

About 90 minutes later, a car packed with explosives blew up near the gate. Such secondary explosive devices often are rigged to timers and designed to kill people responding to the attack.

The three who entered the compound battled Afghan security forces for nine hours. Three policemen were killed, said Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi. Four traffic policemen and 10 civilians were wounded, he said.

Kabul Police Chief Gen. Mohammad Ayub Salangi said another bomber blew himself up in the building and two more were shot and killed before they could detonate their suicide vests.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for an attack on a facility "run by foreign military forces."