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| Gunmen storm Kabul TV station in attack claimed by Isis | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gunmen disguised as policemen stormed a television station in Kabul on Tuesday, killing one person and wounding two dozen others in the latest deadly attack on Afghan journalists. | |
| Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday, which lasted about three hours before Afghan special forces overpowered the attackers, who were armed with guns and grenades, and freed staff trapped inside the building. | Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday, which lasted about three hours before Afghan special forces overpowered the attackers, who were armed with guns and grenades, and freed staff trapped inside the building. |
| “The attack has ended. According to the commander of the special forces all the staff who were inside the building have been rescued,” Shamshad TV announced as it went back on the air in an act of defiance just moments later. | “The attack has ended. According to the commander of the special forces all the staff who were inside the building have been rescued,” Shamshad TV announced as it went back on the air in an act of defiance just moments later. |
| “This is an attack on freedom of media but they cannot silence us,” the station’s news director, Abid Ehsas, told rival Tolo News at a hospital in the Afghan capital where some of his wounded colleagues were being treated. | “This is an attack on freedom of media but they cannot silence us,” the station’s news director, Abid Ehsas, told rival Tolo News at a hospital in the Afghan capital where some of his wounded colleagues were being treated. |
| The station reported that one attacker blew himself up at the gate. Another went inside and shot at staff before going up to the roof to fire on security forces. | The station reported that one attacker blew himself up at the gate. Another went inside and shot at staff before going up to the roof to fire on security forces. |
| A Shamshad news presenter, his hands bandaged after cutting his hands on glass as he fled the attackers, told viewers that 20 colleagues had been wounded. Six were in a critical condition. “We have all come back (to work), all our journalists and colleagues are back on duty,” he said. | |
| Special forces troops blasted their way through a wall of the compound to enter the premises of the Pashto-language broadcaster. | Special forces troops blasted their way through a wall of the compound to enter the premises of the Pashto-language broadcaster. |
| “I was in my office when gunmen wearing police uniforms attacked the building,” Ehsas said. “They killed one of our guards and entered the building and started firing. Most of us were able to flee but some were wounded and some jumped out of the windows.” | “I was in my office when gunmen wearing police uniforms attacked the building,” Ehsas said. “They killed one of our guards and entered the building and started firing. Most of us were able to flee but some were wounded and some jumped out of the windows.” |
| He said the station had not received any threats before the attack. | He said the station had not received any threats before the attack. |
| Gunshots could be heard inside the building every few minutes during the assault as more security forces and emergency services swarmed around the area. | Gunshots could be heard inside the building every few minutes during the assault as more security forces and emergency services swarmed around the area. |
| “They first shot the guard and then entered the building. They started throwing grenades and firing,” Shamshad TV reporter Faisal Zaland, who escaped through a back door, told AFP. | “They first shot the guard and then entered the building. They started throwing grenades and firing,” Shamshad TV reporter Faisal Zaland, who escaped through a back door, told AFP. |
| Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said one employee had been killed and 24 people wounded, including four firefighters. | |
| Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released by its Amaq propaganda agency. The Taliban had earlier released a Twitter statement denying involvement. | Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released by its Amaq propaganda agency. The Taliban had earlier released a Twitter statement denying involvement. |
| Pashto is one of the official languages in Afghanistan and is spoken mainly in the south, where the Taliban have a large presence. | Pashto is one of the official languages in Afghanistan and is spoken mainly in the south, where the Taliban have a large presence. |
| Security in Kabul has been ramped up since 31 May, when a truck bomb went off on the edge of the “Green Zone”. About 150 people were killed and 400 others were wounded. | Security in Kabul has been ramped up since 31 May, when a truck bomb went off on the edge of the “Green Zone”. About 150 people were killed and 400 others were wounded. |
| Special truck scanners, barriers and permanent and mobile checkpoints have been rolled out across the city. | Special truck scanners, barriers and permanent and mobile checkpoints have been rolled out across the city. |
| The last major assault in Kabul was on 21 October when a suicide attacker hit a bus carrying Afghan army trainees, killing 15 people. | The last major assault in Kabul was on 21 October when a suicide attacker hit a bus carrying Afghan army trainees, killing 15 people. |
| A day earlier, a suicide bomber pretending to be a worshipper blew himself up inside a Shia mosque in the city during evening prayers, killing 56 and wounding 55. | A day earlier, a suicide bomber pretending to be a worshipper blew himself up inside a Shia mosque in the city during evening prayers, killing 56 and wounding 55. |
| This month, Kabul police stopped a lorry carrying 2,700kg of explosives hidden under boxes of tomatoes, averting a potentially deadly blast. | This month, Kabul police stopped a lorry carrying 2,700kg of explosives hidden under boxes of tomatoes, averting a potentially deadly blast. |