Kabul, August 19(ANI): At least four people were killed in a militant attack on the British Council in Kabul early on Friday, British and Afghan officials have said.
Suicide attackers stormed the British Council office in the capital of Afghanistan after at least three explosions, the BBC reports.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the terror strike, saying the attack marked the anniversary of Afghanistan's independence from the United Kingdom in 1919.
In a text message to reporters at 7:45 am, a Taliban spokesman said that multiple suicide bombers had attacked a foreign guesthouse, inflicting several casualties, and that the fight was continuing.
The first blast went off just after 5:30 a.m., shattering glass in the Karte Parwan area near a number of potential targets, including the palatial residence of First Vice President Muhammad Qasim Fahim.
A second blast followed ten minutes later, shattering glass in buildings blocks away and sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.
Hundreds of Afghan police officers swarmed into the area as sporadic gunfire continued. At around 7:45 a.m., what sounded like a grenade blast went off, followed by more bursts of gunfire.
Sediq Sediqi, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said at least four people had been killed.
"We are continuing clearing operations," The New York Times quoted Sediqi, as saying.
A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman later said: "We can confirm there was an attack against a British Council compound in Afghanistan.
"The embassy is co-ordinating with the Afghan authorities, who are dealing with the incident." (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
