A suicide bomb and gun attack on a courthouse in the west Afghan city of Farah has left at least six people dead and 70 injured.
A bomb-laden vehicle exploded outside the provincial courthouse, in a busy area close to banks and shops.
After a fierce initial gun battle, shooting continued as militants took cover in at least one building.
Taliban insurgents said they were behind the attack in the strategic province, which borders Iran.
A bomb and gun attack on the governor's compound last May left six policemen, a civilian and four attackers dead.
'Packed with civilians'In Wednesday's attack, it appears the militants struck while a trial of Taliban suspects was taking place inside the courthouse. An unconfirmed report by the Taliban said those on trial had been freed.
The vast majority of those wounded were civilians, officials say.
End Quote Sayedo Shopkeeper in FarahI heard a huge bang and when I looked I saw several attackers armed with light and heavy weapons running towards the bank and the court"
Eyewitnesses, including doctors in the city, said both sides had used machine-guns and grenades.
Mohammad Yunus, Farah's deputy governor, told a private Afghan TV channel by phone that militants had set off a "large explosive-laden vehicle", damaging buildings including the governor's office, other government and non-government agencies, and two banks.
After the initial assault, he told Channel One TV, that gunmen took up position in "multi-storey buildings".
Speaking to the BBC, a senior Afghan security source said: "First there was a suicide attack, later on a group of attackers started fighting."
He also confirmed there had been fighting close to a court and a bank, both of which had been "packed with civilians".
Local shopkeeper Sayed Jan told the BBC: "I heard a huge bang and when I looked I saw several attackers armed with light and heavy weapons running towards the bank and the court.
"There is blood and broken glass. There is a heavy exchange of gunfire and my shop has become a centre of the fighting."
Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi said the group had carried out a suicide attack on the governor's office at approximately 09:00 local time (04:30 GMT).
Following the blast, gunmen entered several "government institutions", he was quoted as saying by the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency.
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