Kabul , Afghanistan ( CNN ) -- An attack in which the Taliban claimed to have infiltrated key government sites in downtown Kabul killed at least five people Monday morning , hospital and government officials said . Among the five were two policemen and one national security staff member , Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar said at a news conference . Seventy-one others were injured , 36 of whom were police or security officers , he said . His report of the death toll conflicts with those of Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi , who said 13 died , and the Taliban , which claimed even more were slain . Seven attackers ' bodies were recovered , with two or three of them burned beyond recognition , Azimi said . The Taliban said only five were killed . Four explosions and gunfire shook downtown Kabul about 9:15 a.m. Monday , with the Taliban saying it was conducting a militant operation . The attack started as 14 members of Afghan President Hamid Karzai 's Cabinet were to be sworn in , said Parliament member Fawzia Koofi . About 20 Taliban insurgents entered the presidential palace ; the ministries of Finance , Mines and Justice ; and the Serena Hotel , said spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid . NATO-led forces said `` several small explosions '' and gunfire were reported near the Feroshgah e Afghan Shopping Center and the Serena Hotel , and later added that `` numerous '' suicide bombers had attacked government buildings close to the presidential palace and the Ministry of Justice . Atmar said that the coordinated attacks struck the city over a span of two hours and 45 minutes and that they targeted civilians . And the threat continued at 1 p.m. , when three attackers took over Bayman Hotel , Atmar said . More than two hours later , Afghan security forces killed the men , he said . At least two insurgents were killed at the shopping center , NATO-led forces said in a news release , which also said that Afghan national police had secured all roads in the area . A separate news release condemned the attack , which NATO-led forces said took place amid many civilians . Atmar , the Minister of Defense and chief of the National Security Department also condemned the violence . The Taliban claimed that they killed 31 officials and injured 31 people . Their account could not be immediately independently verified . The terrorist group also disputed the government on the number of its militants killed . Five militants had died and 13 had returned to their safe houses , the Taliban 's Mujahid said , adding that two were still fighting . But Zmaray Bashari , a spokesman for the Interior Ministry , said security forces had restored Kabul to normalcy by Monday afternoon . Monday 's assault followed weekend violence that killed at least three international troops and 14 militants in Afghanistan , authorities said . CNN 's Dan Rivers and Atia Abawi contributed to this report .
Three people killed ; two insurgents dead at command center , NATO - led forces say . Taliban insurgents enter presidential palace , government buildings , government says . Karzai Cabinet members were to be taken in , Parliament member arrested .