11 dead after militants attack Afghan interior ministry

May 30 (UPI) -- A suicide attack on Afghanistan's interior ministry Wednesday killed nearly a dozen people, mostly perpetrators, a government spokesman said.

The attack began with an explosion near the entrance gate of the newly-built ministry building in Kabul. The blast was followed by the attackers penetrating ministry grounds with two armored vehicles packed with weapons.

"Rockets and ammunition and explosives were inside the vehicle," a police soldier told Afghanistan's Tolo News.

Three attackers, wearing military uniforms, detonated explosives while the others were shot by government troops, officials said.

Authorities said all 10 attackers and one police officer died. Five officers were injured. The entire assault lasted about two hours.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.

At least 28 people died in Taliban attacks earlier this week across Afghanistan's Kandahar and Ghazni provinces. They followed an announcement of a summer campaign against Afghan government security forces.