Suicide bombers have stormed a government building in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least two police officers.

Tuesday’s attack took place in Sharan, the provincial capital of Paktika province.

The interior ministry says four bombers tried to take over the building, which houses the government communications office. Three of the attackers and two police officers were killed in the ensuing gunbattle.

Police were reportedly still exchanging fire with the fourth attacker.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Paktika province shares a porous and ill-defined border with Pakistan and is one of the main routes for Taliban militants to infiltrate eastern Afghanistan from their sanctuaries across the border.

Elsewhere, NATO and Afghan forces worked together to capture several suspected Taliban agents in operations across Afghanistan. A joint Afghan and coalition raid in Balkh province resulted in the deaths of seven suspected insurgents and the capture of 30 others.