Taliban suicide bombers wearing police uniforms raided a courthouse in the eastern Afghan city of Ghazni Wednesday, killing six people in what they said was revenge for last month's execution of Taliban-linked prisoners. The assault comes a day after the Taliban killed 10 bus passengers and kidnapped dozens of others in northern Kunduz province, as the insurgents step up their annual spring offensive after naming a new leader.
"Four attackers entered the court compound after killing the guard," provincial police chief Aminullah Amarkhail told AFP. "One of the attackers detonated his suicide vest inside the compound and the three others were gunned down by police." The interior ministry said five civilians and one policeman were killed in the 30-minute assault, which left bloodied corpses littered around the complex. The Taliban said the attack was in retaliation for the execution of six Taliban-linked inmates in early May, which were approved as part of President Ashraf Ghani's new hard-line policy against the insurgents.