Afghanistan ? Suspected Taliban militants armed with bombs, rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launched near-simultaneous assaults Tuesday on Afghan and U.S. facilities in two eastern cities, killing six Afghan police and intelligence officers.

The attacks in Gardez and Jalalabad may have been aimed at relieving pressure on Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan — the focus of U.S. and British operations against the hard-line Islamic militants.

A quick response by Afghan police and soldiers prevented higher casualties. Eight insurgents were killed and one was captured in the two attacks, officials said, adding that none got away.

Nevertheless, the assaults showed that the Taliban are capable of mounting complex attacks in different parts of the country, stretching the capabilities of U.S. and allied forces locked in the bloodiest fighting of the Afghan war.