Suspected Taliban rebels attack Afghan spy agency compound in Kandahar
Suspected Afghan Taliban fighters, including a suicide bomber, launched a coordinated attack on a compound of Afghanistan’s intelligence service in the restive southern Kandahar province on Sunday, a media report said.
Suspected Afghan Taliban fighters, including a suicide bomber, launched a coordinated attack on a compound of Afghanistan’s intelligence service in the restive southern Kandahar province on Sunday, a media report said.
The attack began after the suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the gate of the compound of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) shortly after 7am, government spokesman Samim Khpalwak said.
A second attacker was killed by security forces, Khpalwak was quoted as saying by Khaama Press.
The spokesman did not provide details but reports suggested that three soldiers were killed during the attack.
In March last year, Afghan security forces had foiled an attack on the Indian consulate in Kandahar by gunning down a suicide bomber before he could detonate his explosives.
The Afghan Taliban recently launched their annual "spring offensive" on April 24, pledging nationwide attacks in what is expected to be the bloodiest fighting season in a decade as NATO forces pull back from the frontlines.
This year's offensive marks the first time that Afghan forces will battle militants without the full support of US-led foreign troops. The Taliban have already stepped up attacks on government and foreign targets, taking a heavy toll on civilians and Afghan security forces.
NATO's combat mission formally ended in December but a small follow-up foreign force has stayed on to train and support Afghan security personnel. President Barack Obama recently backpedalled on plans to shrink the US force in Afghanistan by nearly half, agreeing to keep the current level of 9,800 American troops till the end of 2015.
(With inputs from agencies)