Taliban militants claimed responsibility for an attack on an Afghan police station in Jalalabad Thursday in which at least 18 people died, officials said. In a text message sent to media, Taliban leaders said fighters killed at least 10 police officers in what was called a "multi-pronged" attack, RAWA News reported. Police said officers shot and killed seven attackers, who were all wearing suicide vests. A civilian also was killed. The gun battle raged for several hours after a bomb was detonated, RAWA said. NATO dispatched helicopter gunships to provide support to Afghan security forces. Witnesses told the BBC that state-run Radio Television Afghanistan was one of several buildings still burning hours after the attack. Mohammad Habib, another witness, said the explosion rocked Jalalabad. "I woke up and my windows were broken," Habib said. "Then there were gun shots and explosions throughout the morning. Now almost half of the city remains closed." Taliban leaders have threatened a campaign of violence in the run-up to Afghanistan's national elections April 5.