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Kabul military base hit by explosions and gunfire | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Militants have attacked an army base near a military academy in the Afghan capital Kabul. | |
At least two Afghan soldiers have been killed in the ongoing attack and 10 injured, a defence ministry spokesman told the BBC. | |
Five militants were involved, three of whom have been killed, he said. | |
It comes days after the deadliest bombing for months hit Kabul when an ambulance packed with explosives killed at least 100 people. | It comes days after the deadliest bombing for months hit Kabul when an ambulance packed with explosives killed at least 100 people. |
Islamic State and the Taliban have increased their attacks on targets in the city in recent days. | |
Several explosions were heard, as well as small arms fire, as the attack began at about 05:00 local time (00:30 GMT) at a military base of the Afghan National Army in the west of Kabul. | |
The militants are believed to have been heavily armed with rocket propelled grenade launchers. | |
One attacker has been arrested while another is still fighting with security forces, officials said. | |
Security forces have blocked off all roads in the area, Afghan media outlet Tolo said. | Security forces have blocked off all roads in the area, Afghan media outlet Tolo said. |
The president's spokesperson said that none of the attackers had been able to get further than the first gate, Tolo news reported. | |
Afghan military institutions are frequently targeted by militants. | Afghan military institutions are frequently targeted by militants. |
'Sandhurst in the Sand' | |
The base in next to the Marshal Fahim National Defense University which has been targeted by Taliban militants before. | |
In October 2017, 15 military cadets were killed in an explosion outside the Marshal Fahim military academy as they were leaving by minibus. | |
The university is referred to as "Sandhurst in the Sand" as it is closely modelled on the officer training academy in Britain. | |
The ambulance attack on Saturday took place just one week after another attack on a Kabul hotel killed 22 people - mostly foreigners. The Taliban said it had carried out both attacks. | |
The Islamic State group said it had carried out an attack on the international charity Save the Children in Jalalabad last week. |