Robbers killed in gunbattle at Kabul bank

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Police stormed a bank and killed three armed robbers Wednesday in Afghanistan's capital after their robbery attempt had escalated into a gun battle with security officers.

The bank robbery attempt comes one day before Afghanistan's pivotal national elections. This week, the Taliban said it plans to disrupt the elections with continued attacks and threatened to kill Afghans who vote.

Local media identified the robbers as Taliban members.

Officers had surrounded the bank, and the exchange of gunfire went on for some time before the robbers were killed, according to an Interior Ministry spokesman.

Afghan and NATO commanders are fielding some 300,000 troops to protect voters on Thursday, according to NATO officials in charge of election security.

But in recent days, several bombings have rocked Kabul. On Tuesday a rocket attack damaged the compound of the presidential palace.

And a deadly suicide strike killed seven civilians and wounded 53 others on Jalalabad Road, a major thoroughfare in the capital, a defense ministry spokesman told CNN.

CNN's Kevin Flower contributed to this report.

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