At least nine people were killed and more than a dozen others, including a judge, wounded in a group attack on the appellant court building in the capital of southern Ghazni province on Wednesday, officials said.

Governor Mohammad Aman Amin told a news conference here: "Nine people including four civilians, as many attackers and one police were killed and 13 others including head of appellate court wounded in the suicide bombing and ensuing firefight."

A group of four suicide bombers stormed the court at 10:30am, he said, adding a 10-minute gunbattle followed the attack in the heart of the city.

Provincial police chief, Brig. Gen. Aminullah Amarkhel, earlier told Pajhwok Afghan News the assailants fired at the guards and then tried to enter the court building. The coordinated attack took place at around 10:00am, he said.

Amarkehl added two of the attackers were shot dead by policemen at the gate while two others managed to storm into the court building. However, police gunned them down before they could blow themselves up. Judge Sikandar Saleh was among the wounded, he said.

Saleh Mohammad, a shopkeeper in the vicinity, claimed seeing the attack on the court building. A clash lasting three minutes also took place, he said, adding: “We ran away and don’t know what happened next.”

As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault. Zabihullah Mujahid, the militant group’s spokesman, said the car bombing was carried out in front of the appellant court gate. Police suffered heavy casualties in the explosion, he added.