Taliban attack Ghazni police base, kill three

Ghazni: At least three police officers were killed and a dozen more wounded Saturday when a Taliban suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed, US-made armoured vehicle into a compound in eastern Afghanistan, officials said.

The pre-dawn blast took place as violence rages across Afghanistan, even though the US is leading a push for a peace deal with the Taliban, with a new round of talks expected in the coming days.

According to Aref Noori, the spokesman for Ghazni province, Saturday’s attack targeted the police headquarters compound in Ghazni’s Ab Band district. "A Humvee vehicle was driven into the compound and blown up. Three police officers have been killed and 12 wounded," he said, adding the vehicle had been captured from Afghan forces.

Ahmad Khan Sirat, the provincial police spokesman, said the police headquarters building had also been partially damaged in the attack, which was claimed by the Taliban. The attack came hours after another Taliban assault in Ghazni province late on Friday.