Taliban attack Afghan police headquarter

At least 13 people were killed and dozens more wounded after a Taliban suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked a police headquarters in northern Afghanistan yesterday.

The deadly assault occurred two days after President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan, which begins today.

The insurgents have rebuffed the move, which came at the end of peace talks in Kabul, and as the Taliban meet with the US at separate talks in Qatar.

Yesterday’s attack started with a massive blast at the police facility in Pul-i-Khumri, about 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Kabul, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky.

Meanwhile, at least 52 Taliban militants, including two key commanders, were killed by the Afghan Army in Ghazni province, the defence ministry said yesterday.