Taliban militants wearing explosive vests launched a brazen daylight assault Jan. 18 on the center of Kabul, with suicide bombings and gunbattles near the presidential palace and other government buildings that paralyzed the city for hours.

Afghan forces along with NATO advisors managed to restore order after nearly five hours of fighting as explosions and machine gun fire echoed across the mountain-rimmed city, sending terrified Afghans racing for cover. Twelve people were killed, including seven attackers, officials said.

The assault by a handful of determined militants dramatized the vulnerability of the Afghan capital, undermining public confidence in President Hamid Karzai's government and its U.S.-led allies. The attacks also suggested that the mostly rural Taliban are prepared to strike at the heart of the Afghan state.