KABUL – Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the communications ministry incentral Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in a deadly, hours-long assaultthat destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital.
The Afghan Taliban said it had “nothing to do” with the attack, which leftsome 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at thestart of the Afghan work week.
No other group claimed immediate responsibility, but the Afghan branch ofthe militant Islamic State group has previously carried out multiple deadlyattacks in the capital.
“As a result of today’s explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people havebeen martyred (killed) and 6 others are wounded,” the health ministryspokesman wrote in a tweet, adding 3 of the injured were women.
In a statement, the interior ministry said four civilians and threesoldiers had been killed, though unverified social media posts suggestedthe final toll could be higher.
*AFP* journalists heard one big blast around 11:40 am (0710 GMT), followedby sporadic gunfire for hours afterwards.
“The information that we have is four attackers have placed themselves nearthe communication ministry and are engaged in gun battles with the Afghansecurity forces,” Amanduddin Shariati, a security official in Kabul told*AFP*.
By about 5:00 pm (1230 GMT), the interior ministry declared the assaultover.
“Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed & more than 2000 civiliansstaff rescued,” the ministry said on Twitter.
Panicked workers inside the 18-storey building, believed to be Kabul’stallest, moved up to the top floor as gunmen and Afghan security officialsbattled lower down.
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One woman said she had been in a group of about 30 people on the 10th floorwhen the assault started, then was told to move up to the 18th floor asgunfire increased. They were all eventually rescued by commandos.
“Women were screaming and children of the kindergarten were the first to beevacuated,” the woman, who did not want to be named, told *AFP*.
Afghan authorities gave conflicting reports during the incident. Theinformation ministry initially said three suicide bombers had attacked apost office building at the ministry.
General Sayed Mohammad Roshan Dil, the Kabul police chief, said fourattackers had been wearing police uniforms and had targeted a shrine nearthe ministry.
Footage on local television showed a small plume at the building, andpeople climbing out windows on a lower level.
The presidential palace said in a statement “the enemies of Afghanistanhave conducted a terrorist attack”.
“Once again they have created fear and have killed or wounded a number ofinnocent countrymen,” the statement read. – APP/AFP
