KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan officials say a brazen Taliban assault on the presidential palace in Kabul has left three guards dead.

The militant group had earlier said that all eight attackers died in the early morning attack today on one of the most secure parts of the Afghan capital.

Militants with false papers and military-style uniforms bluffed their way through two checkpoints on their way to the palace before jumping out of their explosives-packed vehicle and opening fire on security personnel. Another carload of Taliban fighters got stuck between two checkpoints and detonated their own car bomb.

The Interior Ministry said a fourth guard was wounded.

Another carload of Taliban fighters got stuck between two checkpoints and detonated their own car bomb.

The well-planned daylight assault in a highly fortified zone of the capital is a brazen challenge to Kabul’s authority only a week after NATO formally handed over security for the entirety of the country to Afghan forces.

The gunbattle was witnessed by a group of journalists who were waiting to enter the palace grounds for a news event on Afghan youth at which President Hamid Karzai was expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the Taliban.

The palace is in a large fortified area of downtown Kabul that also includes the U.S. Embassy and the headquarters for the NATO-led coalition forces and access is heavily restricted.