Taliban militants have carried out suicide attacks on several government buildings in Khost, eastern Afghanistan, police say.
A gun battle broke out between security forces and the fighters who launched co-ordinated attacks on the police chief's office, a hospital and a bank.
Militants were using machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and there were reports of casualties.
It comes amid a spike of violence ahead of elections on 20 August.
A doctor at Khost hospital said seven civilians and three police were injured.
It was unclear how many attackers were involved, but Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to be a Taliban spokesman told the BBC from unknown location: "Four of our attackers had entered the city this afternoon."
Khost provinical police chief Abdul Qayum Baqizai told the BBC seven suicide bombers attacked various sites, including one who detonated a bomb-laden car near a military hospital.
One hospital guard was injured in that attack.
Another attacker was shot by security personnel close to Kabul Bank, and another was shot close to a government guesthouse, he said.
Mr Baqizai said the rest, dressed in border police uniforms, tried to enter the police chief's office but "our forces opened fire and killed them all".
City confusion
Khost resident Mohammad Goal Jan described the confusion during the hours of fighting.
"I can hear a lot of gunshots and loud explosions from the police chief's office.
"Police and army have blocked the main roads. Khost city is empty. There is a lot of confusion at the moment.''
One of the presidential candidates, Ramazan Bashardost, was in Khost but was not affected.
The attack is a big blow to the authorities who have promised better security for the elections next month, says the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul.
Such attacks will only add to the worries of local Afghans in the country's restive south-eastern provinces.
Most of them live in a climate of fear. After attacks in Khost, Paktia and Ningarhar provinces recently, security was beefed up specifically on the outskirts of the city which borders Pakistan.
According to local residents, all vehicles coming in and out of Khost were checked on regular basis.
Previous attacks
In May, six people were killed when militants launched simultaneous assaults on government buildings in Khost.
Last week at least four security personnel were killed in attacks on Gardez, about 50 miles (80km) northwest of Khost, when militants attacked the police chief's office, a police station and the intelligence directorate, as well as the governor's compound.
Another security personnel died in an attack in eastern city of Jalalabad.
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