Afghan officials say at least five people were killed when gunmen stormed a government compound in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Unconfirmed reports place the death toll at between ten and 20, including the attackers. <br /><br /> The provincial governor’s office says the district police chief is among the dead. Several dozen people are said to have been injured in the attack.<br /><br /> Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the assault.<br /><br /> What happened?<br /><br /> Insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons stormed a court in the compound on Thursday morning (April 9), according to Mohammadullah, a local police official. Gunfire continued for at least six hours, late into the afternoon.<br /><br /> According to the Interior Ministry, police rescued dozens of people during the shootout, including the chief prosecutor.<br /><br /> While insider attacks in Afghanistan have declined since most foreign troops withdrew at the end of 2014, insurgents have increased assaults on government targets.
