Taliban militants struck in the heart of the Afghan capital Monday, launching brazen assaults on key government facilities. Suicide bombings and gunbattles paralyzed Kabul for hours. Twelve people including seven attackers were killed. Nearly 40 others were wounded.

Always on the alert, police in Kabul stopped a suspicious van that was when they found it was full of explosives.

This was just one of the Taliban suicide attacks in Kabul on Monday.

At least five bombing attacks took place outside several ministries in the center of the city. And at a shopping center, heavily armed militants fought a 3-hour battle with security forces.

The attacks came as President Hamid Karzai was swearing in cabinet members in the presidential palace.

Later, Karzai said security has been restored to the capital, but search operations continue.

Karzai said, "This is just one of the dangers. Other risks threatening Afghanistan are more dangerous and could inflict more harm to Afghanistan both from within the country and outside."

A Taliban spokesman says 20 militants, including some with suicide vests, entered Kabul to target the presidential palace and other government buildings in the city center.

Security officials say at least nine militants were killed.

Monday's attacks were the worst in the city in nearly a year.

NATO officials say the attacks appeared timed to upstage preparations for the international conference on Afghanistan that will be held next week in London.

Meanwhile, the US and British governments have condemned the attacks and promised they will only strengthen their resolve.