The Taliban claimed responsibility for the coordinated assault.


In recent weeks, the militant group has launched a series of high-profile attacks and assassinations of key allies of President Hamid Karzai, even as the coalition transfers more security control to Kabul.


On Wednesday, a suicide bomber killed the mayor of Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar. Witnesses say Mayor Ghulam Haider Hamidi was meeting with constituents about a land dispute at the time of the attack.


The mayor's death follows last week's targeted killing in Kabul of a senior advisor to President Karzai. And earlier this month in Kandahar, a trusted bodyguard shot and killed President Karzai's half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai.


About 33,000 American troops are set to leave Afghanistan by September of 2012. Last week, NATO transferred the first seven areas of Afghanistan to the control of Afghan forces. Foreign combat troops are set to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.



<a href="http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/07/28/taliban-attacks-government-buildings-in-southern-afghanistan/" target="_blank" class="news_link">Source: Voice of America</a>

Taliban Attacks Government Buildings in Southern Afghanistan