Kabul, Afghanistan – Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack that left, at least, seven people dead and seven wounded on Saturday in Kabul, capital of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, with a population of around 3,678,034 inhabitants. The assault occurred near the Spanish embassy.
A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Sediq Sediqqi, announced on Saturday that four Afghan police officers and two others were killed in the attack. Also, seven civilians and two policemen were wounded. He pointed out Afghan forces rescued 12 foreign people in the course of the operation.
According to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, two Spanish officers were killed during the siege. He stated it was an attack against some guest houses very near the embassy. He also said his solidarity was with all the Spanish that have worked and still work in Afghanistan and sent them love and affection. All embassy staff have been already evacuated.
Kabul district of Sherpur, where several foreign embassies, guest houses and homes of officials from the government are located, was the target of the attack. More than 10 hours were needed in order to put the area under control by local security forces.
The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Taliban, as their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed. He said the Taliban fighters had detonated a car bomb in the Sherpur district before entering the area, and affirmed 20 Afghans and foreigners were killed.
It is known that the group has made overstated claims in previous attacks which demonstrated to be false, BBC reported. Mujahid said suicide attacks started on a guesthouse of invaders in the Sherpoor area of Kabul in the evening.
“Afghan Police Special Forces have killed all the attackers who were involved in last night terrorist attack in Kabul,” the Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi wrote in a tweet hours later.
Hours prior to the attacks, Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani stated hopefulness about the peace talks with the Taliban. According to BBC reports, Kabul police spokesperson Basir Mujahid explained the first attacker detonated his explosives at the entry of the guesthouse while others entered the building and fired on houses that were around.
Two days ago, more that 50 people were killed in an airport in the southern city of Kandahar. The attack that lasted more than 24 hours was also claimed by the Taliban. Ministry of Defense said 38 civilians, 10 Afghan soldiers and two police officers were among the casualties.
Source: BBC