DHAKA: Taliban fighters have opened fire and stormed a government building in eastern Afghanistan in the most serious of a string of attacks across the country, while in Kabul two rockets struck inside the grounds of the city’s international airport but caused no damage.

Following the attack on Monday, police surrounded the provincial justice ministry building in the city of Jalabad and were engaging in sporadic exchanges of gunfire with the fighters inside, said General Fazel Ahmad Sherzad, the provincial police chief of Nangarhar province, reports Al Jazeera.

The attackers struck around 9am (06:00 GMT) as employees were arriving for work, Sherzad said, but it was unclear how many people may have been inside the building when the fighters took over.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack but provided no further details. Last week, the Taliban said they would launch their annual Spring offensive on May 12.

Also on Monday, in eastern Afghanistan, groups of fighters, including some on motorbikes, attacked police checkpoints, killing three people and wounding eight.

The attacks happened on the outskirts of the city of Ghazni in the province by the same name, said deputy provincial governor, Mohammad Ali Ahmadi.

Two women and a policeman were killed, while two policemen and six civilians, including three children, were wounded, said Ahmadi.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

BDST: 1650 HRS, MAY 12, 2014