The Taliban has unleashed a wave of attacks across Afghanistan, targeting police compounds and government facilities with suicide bombers across the country, and killing at least 74 people, officials say.
Among those killed in one of the Tuesday attacks was a provincial police chief. Scores were also wounded, both policemen and civilians.
According to Afghanistan's deputy interior minister, Murad Ali Murad, the day's onslaught was the "biggest terrorist attack this year".
Murad told a press conference in Kabul that the attacks in Ghazni and Paktia provinces, the insurgents killed 71 people.
In southern Paktia province, 41 people - 21 policemen and 20 civilians - were killed when the Taliban targeted a police compound in the provincial capital of Gardez with two suicide car bombs.
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Among the wounded were 48 policemen and 110 civilians.
The provincial police chief, Toryalai Abdyani, was killed in the Paktia attack, Murad confirmed.
According to the Health Ministry spokesman, Waheed Majroo, the Gardez city hospital reported receiving at least 130 wounded in the attack.
In southern Ghazni province, the insurgents stormed a security compound in Andar district, using a suicide car and killing 25 policemen and five civilians, Murad said. At least 15 people were wounded, including 10 policemen, he added.
