Thirteen killed in Taliban attack on Afghan police compound

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan: 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 Ramadan, 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 (155 miles) north of Kabul, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky. The explosion was followed up by gunmen storming the police compound, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.In a tweet, he said a suicide bomber had detonated a bomb inside an armoured personnel carrier, "flattening most of the building". Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said 13 police officers were killed in the attack, with another 35 wounded.Eight attackers were also killed, Rahimi said in a statement, adding 20 civilians were wounded. Faisal Sami, a senator from Baghlan province, put the toll at 12 killed and 60 wounded. The current round of talks between the Taliban and US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad entered their fourth day Sunday.The two foes are hammering out a deal that could see foreign forces leave Afghanistan in return for a ceasefire, talks between the government and the Taliban, and a guarantee the country will never again be used as a safe haven for terror groups.The US special envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban said Saturday that America stands ready for “all sides” to lay down arms in the 17-year conflict.Peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is leading the latest round of talks with the Taliban in Doha, where the two foes are pursuing a deal that would see the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in return for Taliban security guarantees.“All sides laying down arms is the outcome of any peace process,” Khalilzad tweeted.“All sides agreeing to reduce violence is a necessary step toward achieving that outcome and the morally responsible choice to make. We stand ready.”Khalilzad’s comments come a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was prepared to call an “immediate” and “permanent” ceasefire — but the Taliban appeared to rebuff the offer.Ghani had also offered to release 175 prisoners as a goodwill gesture. His talk of a ceasefire comes as momentum builds in various Afghan peace talks.

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