Suicide Bombers Attack Afghan Provincial Capital.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban launched one of their most audacious surprise attacks on Thursday, sending a squad of at least seven suicide bombers into the capital of a relatively stable southern province with the aim of assassinating the provincial governor and an influential powerbroker. Neither was killed, but security and health officials said at least 21 civilians had died in the collateral mayhem, half of them children. The Taliban attack in the capital of Oruzgan Province, Tirin Kot, appeared to be carefully coordinated. It struck at the heart of Afghanistan's south just as the American-led NATO command is in the process of gradually handing over security responsibility to the Afghan government after nearly 10 years of war, and it raised new alarms about the government's capabilities when the foreign forces eventually leave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]