Kabul, September 13
Taliban suicide attackers with heavy weaponry today launched coordinated attacks in Kabul targeting NATO’s headquarters and the US embassy, killing at least six persons.

Around five hours after the attack began, gun-battles still raged. The Afghan government confirmed the deaths of four civilians and two policemen, plus at least six insurgents, with at least two militants still resisting after dusk.

Afghan officials said attackers were hunkered down in a multi-storey building under construction that overlooks the NATO headquarters and the US embassy, exchanging fire with security forces as two helicopters flew overhead.

Two separate suicide attackers also targeted the police in some of the most heavily protected parts of the capital, with the Taliban insurgency at its deadliest since US-led troops ousted the Islamists’ regime 10 years ago.

Any simultaneous attacks that succeeded in hitting NATO headquarters and the US embassy would be the Taliban’s most ambitious commando-style operation yet in their fight to evict the Kabul government and defeat Western troops.

In any case, the attacks dealt a humiliating blow to the Afghan government and NATO, underscoring worsening security in Kabul, where insurgents have staged increasingly brazen commando-style raids on Western and Afghan targets.

AFP reporters heard a string of loud blasts shortly after 1:30 pm (1430 IST) just two days after the United States marked the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that triggered the long war in Afghanistan.

The US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) works with diplomatic missions to prop up an Afghan government increasingly seen as corrupt. Its main headquarters is adjacent to the US embassy compound.

“The ISAF HQ is under attack at the moment,” a Western military official earlier confirmed as terrified residents and shopkeepers told how they dived for cover.

The US embassy, one of the largest American diplomatic missions in the world, one of the most heavily protected compounds in Afghanistan and home to hundreds of diplomats, confirmed only an attack “in the area”.

“There are no casualties at this time among embassy personnel,” added spokeswoman Kerri Hannan in an emailed statement, providing no further details.

An Afghan interior ministry official, speaking anonymously, said four policemen and two civilians were killed.

Officials said at least five civilians and three policemen were wounded. A journalist from Afghan state broadcaster RTA was shot and wounded during the standoff, an AFP reporter said.

“Security forces have reached the second and third floor (of the multi-storey building,” said police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai.

“Two (of the attackers) are still resisting. We hope their resistance will end soon. They have almost run out of ammunition,” he added.

The ISAF confirmed it was providing “air support” although NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen had said he was confident that Afghan forces, who officially control security in Kabul, could deal with the assault. — AFP