KABUL – At least 13 people were killed and dozens more wounded after aTaliban suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked a police headquarters innorthern Afghanistan on Sunday.

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

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

Sunday’s attack started with a massive blast at the police facility inPul-i-Khumri, about 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Kabul, sending ahuge 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 anarmoured personnel carrier, “flattening most of the building”.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said 13 police officers werekilled in the attack, with another 35 wounded.

Eight attackers were also killed, Rahimi said in a statement, adding 20civilians were wounded.

Faisal Sami, a senator from Baghlan province, put the toll at 12 killed and60 wounded.

The current round of talks between the Taliban and US peace envoy ZalmayKhalilzad entered their fourth day Sunday.

The two foes are hammering out a deal that could see foreign forces leaveAfghanistan in return for a ceasefire, talks between the government and theTaliban, and a guarantee the country will never again be used as a safehaven for terror groups. -APP/AFP