Afghanistan

Taliban Assaults Kabul

Suicide bombs, shootings paralyze city.

Two civilians, three security personnel, and at least seven insurgents were killed and 71 people injured on Monday when Taliban militants attacked key government targets around Hamid Karzai's presidential palace, where 14 cabinet ministers were being sworn in. A Taliban spokesman said there were 20 suicide bombers in the city, and claimed responsibility for the attacks, which came a day after president Karzai announced a plan to broker peace with insurgents. Western and Afghan officials were saying that the assault was a failure because, unlike a year ago, the Taliban was unable to take over any government buildings and didn't inflict large casualties.