Five hours of fighting were triggered after insurgents detonated a car bomb outside the deputy provincial governor`s compound close to the main hospital in Trinkot, Uruzgan`s capital, a provincial government spokesman told AFP.
Gunmen also attacked the nearby base of a militia commander who provides security to NATO convoys. The assault was launched from a radio and television office where 25-year-old BBC reporter Ahmed Omed Khpulwak was killed.
The interior ministry said seven suicide attackers had attacked different locations in Trinkot and a motorcyle bomb was remotely detonated outside the police headquarters.
It was the deadliest attack to hit Afghanistan in more than a month and comes at a critical juncture in the nearly 10-year war as thousands of US surge troops prepare to go home and other Western nations announce limited drawdowns.
All foreign combat forces are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and last week a first set of security handovers from NATO to Afghan forces took place in seven parts of the country.
"As a result of these savage attacks of the enemies of Afghanistan, 21 people including three policemen were martyred, and 38 others including three police were injured," the Afghan interior ministry said in a statement.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP that the attackers were from the insurgent group, but denied killing the reporter, saying the police were responsible for his death.
"Seven of our volunteers have attacked the deputy governor`s office and Matiullah`s base," said Ahmadi.
The BBC in London confirmed that Khpulwak, who joined the corporation in 2008, had been killed. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
