KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents struck at the German Consulate in the northern commercial hub of Mazar-i-Sharif late Thursday night, killing at least two people and wounding at least 90, Afghan officials said.

Sayid Sarwar Hussaini, spokesman for the regional police zone in northern Afghanistan, said that there were two large explosions at the Mazar Hotel, which German diplomats have been using as their consulate in the city. A suicide car bomb apparently initiated the attack at the compound’s security wall, followed by gunfire and an explosion inside the hotel.

The provincial police force issued a statement saying that no German Consulate personnel had been hurt, and that the police had cleared the consulate of attackers. Mirwais Rabee, the head of the public health department in Balkh Province, which includes Mazar-i-Sharif, said that the casualties had been transferred to the regional hospital there.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, called the attack a reprisal for airstrikes in Kunduz this week. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan -- Germany's consulate in northern Afghanistan was attacked when a suicide car bomber rammed the compound, killing six people and wounding more than 120, Afghan police and the German foreign minister said Friday.

Four of the dead -- two civilians and two unidentified bodies -- were taken to the Balkh hospital, said Dr. Noor Mohammad Faiz. He said 128 people were wounded in the attack.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said six people had been confirmed dead. He added in a statement that "all German and Afghan employees of the consulate remained unharmed."

The car exploded at the gate of the consulate in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, destroying the gate and wall around 11:10 p.m. Thursday, said Abdul Raziq Qaderi, head of security for Balkh province.

The blast destroyed the Mazar Hotel, where the consulate is based, and surrounding buildings. Residents said casualties were contained because of the late hour, though an ensuing gunbattle raged for about five hours.

Steinmeier said fighting took place "on the premises and inside the consulate."

The attack was carried out "by heavily armed terrorists," he said, adding: "The attackers were fought off by the consulate's security personnel, Afghan security forces, and German, Georgian, Belgian and Latvian special forces stationed in the city as part of the Resolute Support mission."

President Ashraf Ghani called the attack a "crime against humanity and all international laws."

The United Nations' assistance mission in Afghanistan also condemned the attack. In a statement, it said the injured include 19 women and 38 children.

"Most of the injured suffered minor wounds from broken glass while those with serious injuries remain hospitalized," it said. More than 100 homes and shops were damaged, it said.

Germany has 983 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh province, as part of the NATO mission. Mazar-i-Sharif is the provincial capital and one of the richest and most important cities in Afghanistan.

The Taliban's insurgency has spread from their southern heartland across the country in the past two years, after the withdrawal of most international combat troops. Attacks across the north have been increasing.

The Taliban statement from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was retaliation for recent airstrikes in the northern city of Kunduz, capital of the province of the same name.

A U.S. airstrike early this month killed dozens of people and is under investigation.

Information for this article was contributed by Lynne O'Donnell, Karim Sharifi and Geir Moulson of The Associated Press. </s> Taliban suicide bombers attacked the German consulate in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan overnight, killing six people and wounding more than 120.

The German foreign minister said Friday that all consulate staff were safe and accounted for.

The militants stormed the diplomatic facility after using a powerful car bomb to ram into the compound.

The bomb-and-gun attack in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif left at least six civilians dead and wounded around 130 others, mostly civilians, according to hospital officials.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences to the victims. An official statement quoted him as saying that “all German and Afghan employees of the consulate remained unharmed.”

A group of heavily armed Taliban suicide bombers staged the coordinated attack shortly before midnight on Thursday, detonating an explosives-packed vehicle in the vicinity of German Consulate.

The massive blast blew apart a protective barrier around the consulate, shaking buildings and damaging more than 100 homes and shops around the diplomatic mission, said the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) while condemning the violence.

It added that most of the injured suffered minor wounds from broken glass while those with serious injuries remain hospitalized.

“Attacks deliberately targeting the civilian population and violence aimed at spreading terror among civilians may amount to war crimes under customary international humanitarian law,” said UNAMA.

Taliban assailants fought their way into the building during an intense gun battle that lasted for hours before Afghan and NATO troops ended the siege and secured the building and evacuated consulate staff.

A spokesman for the Islamist insurgency in Afghanistan instantly claimed responsibility.

The Taliban said their assault was a “revenge attack” to retaliate for an airstrike earlier this month in neighboring Kunduz province. The insurgents said a bombing run by U.S. warplanes killed 32 civilians, including a number of children.

The airstrikes have triggered impassioned demonstrations in nearby Kunduz city, with victims’ relatives displaying mutilated bodies of dead children in a parade of trucks through the streets.

U.S. authorities are investigating the circumstances of the airstrike, but they have said it “very likely” was carried out by American warplanes. The air raid came after a Taliban assault that killed two American soldiers and three members of Afghan special forces.

Germany has 983 soldiers serving with NATO’s Resolute Support military mission in Afghanistan, most of them stationed in Balkh province, of which Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital.

The foreign coalition in a statement said it rapidly deployed its quick reaction force and assisted in efforts to safely evacuate all 21 staff members of the German consulate.

“This attack by the Taliban once again shows that they use violence indiscriminately and without regard for the safety of civilians,” said Lieutenant General Sandy Storrie, Deputy Commander of the NATO mission. </s> ISLAMABAD — An attack on a German consulate building in northern Afghanistan late Thursday killed six people and wounded more than 100, mostly civilians, though Germany’s foreign minister on Friday reported consulate staff members were unharmed.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences for victims of the attack, in which a suicide truck bomber rammed the compound in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Taliban militants heavily damaged the consulate after fighting their way into the building during an intense gun battle that lasted for hours after the initial blast outside the German compound about 11 p.m. local time. The truck bomb explosion blew apart a protective barrier around the consulate, shaking buildings and breaking windows over a wide area.

A spokesman for the Islamist insurgency in Afghanistan said several heavily armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed the German consulate moments after the initial explosion. With a direct route to the consulate buildings cleared by the first blast, a local police official said another suicide attacker “rammed his explosives-filled car” into the front wall of the main building.

NATO troops and Afghan security forces said they were securing the building and preparing to evacuate consulate staff. The operation apparently was prolonged by concerns that more explosives may have been planted by the attackers.

Afghan authorities said they sealed off the area around the German diplomatic compound, a former hotel. Reports from the scene said NATO helicopters were monitoring the fighting from above.

The Taliban said their assault was a “revenge attack” to retaliate for an airstrike earlier this month in neighboring Kunduz province. The insurgents said a bombing run by U.S. warplanes killed 32 civilians, including a number of children.

The airstrikes have triggered impassioned demonstrations in nearby Kunduz city, with victims’ relatives displaying mutilated bodies of dead children in a parade of trucks through the streets.

U.S. authorities are investigating the circumstances of the airstrike, but they have said it “very likely” was carried out by American warplanes. The air raid came after a Taliban assault that killed two American soldiers and three members of Afghan special forces.

The German government convened a crisis meeting before dawn in Berlin to gather information about the consulate attack. Germany has 983 soldiers serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh province, whose capital is Mazar-i-Sharif.
• 2 key commanders of Taliban among 52 killed in W. Afghanistan </s> KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide attack on the German consulate in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif has killed at least four civilians and wounded more than 120 others, Afghan officials said Friday.

“The attacker drove a vehicle full of explosives” into a gate at the consulate, said Abdul Razaq Qaderi, a police official in northern Balkh province, where Mazar-e-Sharif is situated. “It shattered windows 3 miles from the scene.”

The explosion, which occurred about 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, destroyed parts of the consulate, and nearby homes and shops, Qaderi said.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said all consulate employees were safe and unhurt after Thursday’s attack, which Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called a "crime against humanity and all international laws."

The provincial hospital received four dead bodies and 85 wounded people after the explosion, said Dr. Noor Mohammad Faiz, the hospital head. Thirty other wounded people, all civilians, were taken to a private hospital, he said.

Women and children were among the wounded, Faiz said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

"This attack was carried out as a revenge for the bombardment by foreign forces that killed civilians," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on the group’s website.

Mujahid was referring to a joint mission by Afghan and NATO forces earlier this month near the northern city of Kunduz that Afghan officials said had targeted Taliban commanders who were preparing a major offensive on the city.

U.S. airstrikes were used during the operation, which Afghan officials said killed about 30 civilians. U.S. officials said shortly afterward that it was “very likely” the operation caused civilian casualties and that an investigation was underway.

Germany leads NATO’s diplomatic mission in northern Afghanistan and has nearly 1,000 troops in the country.

NATO’s Resolute Support mission said it had deployed its quick-reaction force to assist German troops at the consulate and help evacuate all 21 staff members to nearby Camp Marmal.

“This attack by the Taliban once again shows that they use violence indiscriminately and without regard for the safety of civilians,” said Lt. Gen. Sandy Storrie, Resolute Support's deputy commander. “We condemn this attack and pledge that we will continue our mission to help the Afghan government and the Afghan people achieve peace, security and stability.” </s> A suicide bomber has rammed a truck into the German consulate in the Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, killing at least two people, officials say.

 Reports described a huge blast at the diplomatic mission followed by gunfire.

 A hospital official said more than 80 people were hurt in the attack, which happened around 23:00 (18:30 GMT).

 The Taliban says it carried out the attack in response to coalition air strikes earlier this month in Kunduz which killed civilians.

 Nato is investigating the incident in the northern city, which happened when Afghan troops surrounded by Taliban militants called in air support.

 Thirty civilians died in the fighting, many of them in the air strikes, local officials said.

 The German diplomatic mission is in a walled compound in the centre of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

 Germany has nearly 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh province.

 A Nato spokesman said there was "massive damage" to the consulate. Nato troops were on site and preparing to evacuate its personnel.

 At least one car packed with explosives was rammed into the wall surrounding the compound, the spokesman said. Officials were also investigating whether a second car bomb was involved.

 Reports on social media said helicopters were flying over the compound and ambulances rushing through the city.

 The attack comes amid a worsening security situation in Afghanistan. Taliban militants came close to over-running Kunduz in October before being driven back, according to BBC News.

 ZR </s> KABUL, Afghanistan — Germany's consulate in northern Afghanistan was attacked late Thursday when a suicide car bomber rammed the compound, a senior police official said.

The car exploded at the gate of the consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif city, destroying the gate and wall around 11.10 p.m. local time, said Abdul Raziq Qaderi, head of security for Balkh province. He said three police were wounded.

"Police have surrounded the area and our forces are inside the compound," he said.

The Taliban issued a statement saying they had sent suicide attackers to the consulate.

Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the police chief of Balkh province, said early Friday that a gun battle was going on at the consulate.

The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement there was an "armed attack" on the consulate but didn't specify the nature of the attack or mention any casualties.

The statement said there had been fighting outside and on the grounds of the consulate and that Afghan security forces and troops from the international Resolute Support mission were at the scene.

Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital of Balkh province and one of the most important cities in the country. Residents in the city reported hearing a huge explosion near the consulate that shattered windows in buildings nearby.

Germany has 983 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh, as part of NATO's Resolute Support mission.

The Taliban's insurgency has spread from their southern heartland across the country in the past two years.

The Taliban statement from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was retaliation for recent airstrikes in the northern city of Kunduz, capital of the province of the same name.

A U.S. airstrike earlier this month killed dozens of people, including women and children, and is under investigation. </s> KABUL — Germany's consulate in northern Afghanistan was attacked when a suicide car bomber rammed the compound, killing four people and wounding more than 100, police and a doctor said Friday.

Four dead, two civilians and two unidentified bodies, were brought to the Balkh hospital and around 115 people were wounded, said Dr. Noor Mohammad Faiz.

"The blast was too loud and powerful, which shattered windows, and many civilians were wounded inside their homes," he said.

The car exploded at the gate of the consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif city, destroying the gate and wall around 11.10 p.m. Thursday, said Abdul Raziq Qaderi, head of security for Balkh province.

"Police have surrounded the area and our forces are inside the compound," he said. Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital of Balkh province and one of the most important cities in the country.

The Taliban issued a statement saying they had sent suicide attackers to the consulate.

Many houses and shops were destroyed or damaged, said Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor in Balkh. "The security situation is under control right now, but locals are in fears of last night attack, there are many women and children among those who wounded," Farhad said

The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement there was an "armed attack" on the consulate but didn't specify the nature of the attack or mention any casualties.

The statement said there had been fighting outside and on the grounds of the consulate and that Afghan security forces and troops from the international Resolute Support mission were at the scene.

Germany has 983 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh, as part of NATO's Resolute Support mission.

The Taliban's insurgency has spread from their southern heartland across the country in the past two years.

The Taliban statement from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was retaliation for recent airstrikes in the northern city of Kunduz, capital of the province of the same name.

A U.S. airstrike earlier this month killed dozens of people, including women and children, and is under investigation. </s> "On November 12, an explosive device was detonated on Bagram Airfield resulting in multiple casualties," the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement, adding that four people died and approximately 14 were injured.

"Response teams at Bagram continue to treat the wounded and investigate the incident," the statement said.

There was no immediate word on the identity of the victims.

The Taliban's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in a message on his Twitter account.

The attack follows a suicide attack on the German consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif late on Thursday night which killed four people and wounded more than 100 others, underlining the precarious security across Afghanistan.

The Taliban said the attack in Mazar-i-Sharif was in retaliation for air strikes near the northern city of Kunduz last week which killed more than 30 civilians.

Details of Saturday's attack in Bagram remain unclear but local media reported that a man dressed as a laborer gained access to the heavily protected facility before detonating a suicide vest.
At least two people have been killed and 90 injured in an attack on the German consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.