13 killed in Taliban attack on Afghan police compound

KUNDUZ: 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 on Sunday.

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

Sunday´s attack started with a massive blast at the police facility in Pul-i-Khumri, about 250 kilometres north of Kabul, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky. The explosion was followed up by gunmen storming the police compound, according toTaliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.