Seven killed as ministry building attacked in Kabul

KABUL: Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the Communications Ministry in central Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in a deadly, hours-long assault that destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital.

"As a result of today´s explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people have been martyred and 6 others are wounded," the Health Ministry spokesman wrote in a tweet, adding 3 of the injured were women.

In a statement, the Interior Ministry said four civilians and three soldiers had been killed, though unverified social media posts suggested the final toll could be higher.

The Taliban said it had "nothing to do" with the attack, which left some 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at the start of the Afghan work week. No other group claimed immediate responsibility, but the Afghan branch of the Islamic State group has previously carried out multiple deadly attacks in the capital.

Journalists heard one big blast around 11:40 am, followed by sporadic gunfire for hours afterwards. "The information that we have is four attackers have placed themselves near the Communication Ministry and are engaged in gun battles with the Afghan security forces," Amanduddin Shariati, a security official in Kabul said. By about 5:00 pm, the Interior Ministry declared the assault over. "Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed & more than 2000 civilians staff rescued," the ministry said on Twitter. Panicked workers inside the 18-storey building, believed to be Kabul´s tallest, moved up to the top floor as gunmen and Afghan security officials battled lower down.

One woman said she had been in a group of about 30 people on the 10th floor when the assault started, then was told to move up to the 18th floor as gunfire increased. They were all eventually rescued by commandos. "Women were screaming and children of the kindergarten were the first to be evacuated," the woman, who did not want to be named, said.

Afghan authorities gave conflicting reports during the incident. The Information Ministry initially said three suicide bombers had attacked a post office building at the ministry.

General Sayed Mohammad Roshan Dil, the Kabul police chief, said four attackers had been wearing police uniforms and had targeted a shrine near the ministry. Footage on local television showed a small plume at the building, and people climbing out windows on a lower level.

The presidential palace said in a statement "the enemies of Afghanistan have conducted a terrorist attack". "Once again they have created fear and have killed or wounded a number of innocent countrymen," the statement read.

Xinhua adds: Eleven people were killed and eight civilians wounded after assailants armed with gun, grenades and suicide bomb jackets stormed a government office building in the central of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Saturday.

The killed included four civilians, three security force members and four attackers, Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement.

The elite Afghan Special Forces have rescued 2,800 employees and visitors from MCIT building and the nearby Ministry of Information and Culture building. Three suspected men were also arrested by the elite troops from around the site of the attack.

The incident caused panic among the people and all the shops were closed down following the attack in the main business hub of the city. </s> Two dead, six hurt as suicide bombers attack Afghan ministry

KABUL: Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the communications ministry in central Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in an hours-long assault that destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital.

“As a result of today’s explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people have been martyred and 6 others are wounded,” the health ministry spokesman wrote in a tweet, adding three of the injured were women.

The Taliban said it had “nothing to do” with the attack, which left some 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at the start of the Afghan work week. No other group claimed immediate responsibility, but the Afghan branch of the Islamic State (IS) group has previously carried out multiple deadly attacks in the capital.

AFP journalists heard one big blast around 11:40 am (0710 GMT), followed by sporadic gunfire for hours afterwards. “The information that we have is four attackers have placed themselves near the communication ministry and are engaged in gun battles with the Afghan security forces,” Amanduddin Shariati, a security official in Kabul told AFP.

By about 5:00 pm (1230 GMT), the interior ministry declared the assault over. “Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed & more than 2000 civilians staff rescued,” the ministry said on Twitter.

Panicked workers inside the 18-storey building, believed to be Kabul’s tallest, moved up to the top floor as gunmen and Afghan security officials battled lower down. One woman said she had been in a group of about 30 people on the 10th floor when the assault started, then was told to move up to the 18th floor as gunfire increased. They were all eventually rescued by commandos. “Women were screaming and children of the kindergarten were the first to be evacuated,” the woman, who did not want to be named, told AFP. Afghan authorities gave conflicting reports during the incident. The information ministry initially said three suicide bombers had attacked a post office building at the ministry.

Gen Sayed Mohammad Roshan Dil, the Kabul police chief, said four attackers had been wearing police uniforms and had targeted a shrine near the ministry. Footage on local television showed a small plume at the building, and people climbing out windows on a lower level.

The presidential palace said in a statement “the enemies of Afghanistan have conducted a terrorist attack”. “Once again they have created fear and have killed or wounded a number of innocent countrymen,” the statement read. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says that a suicide bomber has detonated his payload near government offices in the capital.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said it was not yet clear how many people might have been killed or wounded in Wednesday’s blast in central Kabul. He says the target of the attack is also unclear.

Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Mujro says at least two people were wounded in the attack.

No one has claimed responsibility, but the Taliban frequently target the U.S.-backed government and its security forces. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan — Gunmen dressed as doctors stormed Afghanistan’s largest military hospital on Wednesday, killing more than 30 people and wounding dozens more, officials and witnesses said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on Sardar Dawood Khan hospital, which is located near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul’s diplomatic area.

Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri said a suicide bomber blew himself up at the southern gate of the facility. Three other attackers dressed in hospital uniforms then entered with guns and began shooting.

“Our forces landed on the roof of the hospital from helicopters and were bravely fighting the enemies,” Waziri said.

Clashes between the militants and security forces were still underway hours later. As the fighting dragged on, a second explosion was heard from within the building.

By late afternoon, 30 people had been killed, in addition to four attackers, Waziri said.

Ismail Kawoosi, a Health Ministry spokesman, said 66 injured people were rushed to two other nearby hospitals for treatment, some of whom were in critical condition.

“I was going to visit the children’s hospital, which is across from Sardar Dawood Khan hospital, when suddenly I heard a blast and shooting started,” said Said Sardarwali, a Kabul resident. He said the attackers were wearing white doctors’ gowns. The NATO-led international military coalition said on Twitter: “Once again insurgents show complete disrespect for humanity by attacking a hospital. We stand ready to assist Afghan security services.”

The attack came one week after a pair of Taliban suicide bombings targeted Afghan security forces in Kabul, killing at least 16 people.

U.S. troops have been helping the Afghans battle Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan since early last year.

U.S. and Afghan forces describe their fight against the militants as a success, saying they’ve reduced numbers from between 2,000 and 3,000 a year ago to some 700 today.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a peaceful demonstration in Kabul in July that killed more than 80 people in one of the deadliest bombings in the country in years. Just last month, the group said it was behind an attack on Afghanistan’s Supreme Court that left over 20 people dead.

The string of recent attacks in Kabul follows warnings by local officials that the capital could see an uptick in violence this year from emboldened Taliban insurgents as well as militant groups like Islamic State. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official confirmed that at least five people were killed when a suicide bomber on foot carried out an attack in the capital, Kabul.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said three others were wounded in Wednesday’s blast in central Kabul.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack via the IS-run Amaq news agency.

The attack took place near the country’s Defense Ministry compound, as well as a city police station.

Last month around 50 people were killed after militants stormed a military hospital in Kabul; that attack was also claimed by the Islamic State group. </s> KABUL - Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the communications ministry in central Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in an hours-long assault that destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital.

The Taliban said it had “nothing to do” with the attack, which left some 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at the start of the Afghan work week.

No other group claimed immediate responsibility, but the Afghan branch of the Islamic State group has previously carried out multiple deadly attacks in the capital.

“As a result of today’s explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people have been martyred (killed) and 6 others are wounded,” the health ministry spokesman wrote in a tweet, adding 3 of the injured were women.

AFP journalists heard one big blast around 11.40am (07:10 GMT), followed by sporadic gunfire for hours afterwards.

“The information that we have is four attackers have placed themselves near the communication ministry and are engaged in gun battles with the Afghan security forces,” Amanduddin Shariati, a security official in Kabul told AFP.

By about 5.00pm (12:30 GMT), the interior ministry declared the assault over.

“Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed & more than 2000 civilians staff rescued,” the ministry said on Twitter.

Panicked workers inside the 18-storey building, believed to be Kabul’s tallest, moved up to the top floor as gunmen and Afghan security officials battled lower down.

One woman said she had been in a group of about 30 people on the 10th floor when the assault started, then was told to move up to the 18th floor as gunfire increased. They were all eventually rescued by commandos.

“Women were screaming, and children of the kindergarten were the first to be evacuated,” the woman, who did not want to be named, told AFP.

Afghan authorities gave conflicting reports during the incident. The information ministry initially said three suicide bombers had attacked a post office building at the ministry.

General Sayed Mohammad Roshan Dil, the Kabul police chief, said four attackers had been wearing police uniforms and had targeted a shrine near the ministry.

Footage on local television showed a small plume at the building, and people climbing out windows on a lower level.

The presidential palace said in a statement “the enemies of Afghanistan have conducted a terrorist attack”.

“Once again they have created fear and have killed or wounded a number of innocent countrymen,” the statement read.

The communication ministry is located in downtown Kabul, about two kilometres from the green zone, a heavily fortified compound for foreign embassies.

The area is the city’s main commercial zone and is home to a large hotel.

Aside from a grenade attack on a military vehicle last week and persistent crime, the capital has in recent weeks enjoyed a period of relative calm.

Last year however saw a string of attacks including one where a massive bomb concealed in an ambulance killed more than 100 people.

The attack comes a week after the Taliban announced their annual spring offensive and amid ongoing fighting across Afghanistan.

It illustrates the sprawling nature of Afghanistan’s conflict, and the obstacles to peace even if a deal is reached with the Taliban.

This week in the Qatari capital Doha, a summit planned between the Taliban and officials from across Afghanistan was scrapped at the last minute due to bickering over who should attend the conference.

The collapse comes at a critical time and amid continued bloodshed in Afghanistan, where the Taliban now control or influence about half of Afghanistan and 3,804 civilians were killed there last year, according to a UN tally.

Taliban officials are separately negotiating with the United States, which wants to forge a peace deal with the militants. </s> An hours-long gun and suicide attack on a Kabul government compound killed at least 43 people, the health ministry said Tuesday, making it one of the deadliest assaults on the Afghan capital this year.

Another 10 were wounded in Monday’s raid on a site where the Ministry of Public Works and other offices are located, spokesman Waheed Majroh said. </s> At least 43 people were killed and 10 injured after militants detonated a car bomb before storming government offices in a building in Afghan capital Kabul on Monday, said Wahid Majrooh, a spokesman of the nation’s Ministry of Public Health.

The gunmen also took hostages in the building of the National Authority for Disabled People and Martyrs’ Families, said Najib Danish, a spokesman of Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack began around 3 p.m. Monday, said Danish, adding all three assailants were shot dead in a gun battle with the Afghan forces after a seven-hour stand-off. The forces rescued around 310 people from the building, he said. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An explosion in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Monday killed one person and wounded at least eight people, according to Afghan officials.

Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said the explosion did not appear to have been a suicide attack.

Deputy ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the blast appeared to have targeted a minibus carrying a group of employees.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State group has launched multiple recent attacks in Kabul - including the storming of a military hospital last week in which more than 30 people were killed.
The Afghan health ministry says that yesterday's attack by a suicide bomber and three gunmen on a government building in Kabul killed at least 43 people. No group has claimed responsibility.