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Deadly attack in Afghanistan

September 4, 2014

Taliban Islamist militants have claimed responsibility for an attack on an intelligence office in eastern Afghanistan. Several people were killed and many more injured in the attack.

https://p.dw.com/p/1D6DC
Ghazni Anschlag 04.09.2014
Image: Reuters/Mustafa Andaleb

At least 12 people were killed and 80 others wounded in the attack in the eastern city of Ghazni in the early hours of Thursday.

Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, the deputy governor of the province of Ghazni, told the DPA news agency that the attack began with a bomber detonating a truck outside of the building.

"The first attacker detonated his explosives-laden car at the back door of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) office in Ghazni city at 5:45 a.m. (0115 UTC) to open way for his colleague," he said. "More than 60 people were injured as the explosion was very heavy."

The Associated Press published a slightly different account, reporting that two trucks had been blown up.

Attempt to storm the building

This was followed by an attempt by more than a dozen Taliban fighters, armed with machine guns and grenade launchers to enter the compound. They, however, were repelled by security forces.

"After a three-hour gun battle, the security forces killed all 19 attackers," Assadullah Ensafi, Ghazni's deputy police chief told the AFP news agency.

"The truck bomb was very strong, it broke windows of houses and shops around the building," Ensafi added.

Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted on Twitter.

This comes at a time of even more uncertainty than usual in the country, after a June run-off election that both candidates claim to have won.

pfd/jr (AFP, Reuters, dpa, AP)