Afghanistan: Taliban launches major attack in central Kabul

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

Perilous Times

Afghanistan: Taliban launches major attack in central Kabul

    * By Usman Sharifi
    * From: AAP
    * September 13, 2011 8:31PM

 

THE Taliban have launched a major attack in the centre of Kabul, hitting NATO's coalition force headquarters next to the US embassy in the Afghan capital.

The insurgent group said the ongoing assault began with a suicide attack targeting local and foreign intelligence buildings at a roundabout in the city.

Witnesses heard a string of loud blasts while police confirmed one explosion and a gunfight close to the heavily-guarded embassy compound.

An Agence France-Presse reporter close to the scene saw a string of mortar rounds fired and small arms fire, and heard explosions that seemed to hit multiple targets.

He said that police and Afghan military were attempting to approach the roundabout but were retreating under fire.

"Today at one o'clock at Kabul's Abdul Haq roundabout a massive suicide attack on local and foreign intelligence facilities is ongoing," said a spokesman for the insurgent group, Zabiullah Mujahid, in a text message to AFP on Tuesday.

A Western military source confirmed NATO's International Security Assistance Force headquarters was one of the targets under attack.

"ISAF HQ is under attack at the moment," the source said.

An ISAF spokesman would not confirm the headquarters was a target but said:

"There is an ongoing attack in the centre of Kabul."

One eyewitness reported that attackers had taken up position in a tall building under construction and were exchanging fire with security forces. An Afghan National Army installation is nearby, as is a Marriott hotel building site, the witness said.

The US Embassy did not immediately have further information.

The Taliban are leading a bloody 10-year insurgency in Afghanistan. There are about 140,000 foreign troops in the country, including about 1500 Australians who are based mainly in the southern Oruzgan province.

Kabul city is under the control of Afghan security forces, along with most of the wider Kabul province and six other parts of the country that were handed over by NATO-led troops in July.

In recent months Kabul has been hit by several high-profile suicide and gun attacks including a deadly assault on the British Council building two weeks ago.

The insurgency, which largely relies on roadside bombs and suicide attacks, has reached its deadliest phase in the past two years.

Last week an American civilian engineer was found murdered in mysterious circumstances in Kabul, a few days before the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks that triggered the US-led war in Afghanistan.