KABUL: Afghan police have killed four gunmen who took over a tall building in eastern Afghanistan and started shooting down into surrounding government compounds. One civilian was wounded.

A spokesman for the governor of Paktika province says the attack began late Sunday in the provincial capital.

Mokhlis Afghan says the police surrounded the building and killed the attackers after several hours. He says Nato and Afghan army troops provided support.

The spokesman said on Monday that casualties were low because police acted quickly, the streets were clear and nearby buildings were mostly empty because most people had gone home for the night.

The incident mirrors recent ones in which militants have launched attacks from buildings under construction.