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East Afghan cities hit by Taliban | East Afghan cities hit by Taliban |
(30 minutes later) | |
Several people have been killed in a series of attacks by Taliban militants in eastern Afghanistan. | |
A group of gunmen and suicide bombers attacked four key sites, including the governor's compound, in the city of Gardez. | |
Six militants were killed, Afghanistan's defence ministry said, and a number of security personnel. | |
In Jalalabad, near the Pakistan border, two militants and one policeman were killed in an attack, officials said. | |
The attacks come amid a spike of violence in the country ahead of elections on 20 August. | The attacks come amid a spike of violence in the country ahead of elections on 20 August. |
Shoot-out | Shoot-out |
In Gardez, the militants attacked the police chief's office, a police station and the intelligence directorate, as well as the governor's compound, Afghan officials said. | |
A local trader said there was panic and confusion. | A local trader said there was panic and confusion. |
"I was at my shop and I suddenly heard a loud explosion and then gunshots. I saw fire being exchanged between the police and attackers," the trader told the BBC. | "I was at my shop and I suddenly heard a loud explosion and then gunshots. I saw fire being exchanged between the police and attackers," the trader told the BBC. |
Reports said that at least two of the attackers were wearing women's burkhas. | |
In a statement, the defence ministry said four militants were killed in a shoot-out and two blew themselves up. | |
A number of security personnel were killed and injured, it said, without giving details. | |
An Afghan doctor at the hospital in Gardez told the BBC he had received four bodies, all of military personnel. | |
Taliban militants have carried out similar co-ordinated attacks on provincial cities in recent months. | Taliban militants have carried out similar co-ordinated attacks on provincial cities in recent months. |
In May, six people were killed when militants launched simultaneous attacks on government buildings in the city of Khost in eastern Afghanistan. | In May, six people were killed when militants launched simultaneous attacks on government buildings in the city of Khost in eastern Afghanistan. |
In Jalalabad, a spokesman for the governor said two militants were killed when they tried to gain access to the airport - a base for Afghan and foreign troops. | In Jalalabad, a spokesman for the governor said two militants were killed when they tried to gain access to the airport - a base for Afghan and foreign troops. |
One Afghan policeman died in the shoot-out, he said. One militant was shot and the other blew himself up. | |
Troops 'must stay' | Troops 'must stay' |
Earlier, a British soldier was killed in an explosion in Helmand province in the south of the country. | Earlier, a British soldier was killed in an explosion in Helmand province in the south of the country. |
He was the 18th British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan this month. The death of four US troops was announced on Monday. | He was the 18th British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan this month. The death of four US troops was announced on Monday. |
On Monday Nato head Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that walking away from the war would have a "devastating" effect, allowing extremism to overwhelm Afghanistan and spread further into Pakistan and Central Asia. | On Monday Nato head Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that walking away from the war would have a "devastating" effect, allowing extremism to overwhelm Afghanistan and spread further into Pakistan and Central Asia. |
The fight in Afghanistan, he said, was essential to the security of Nato members. | The fight in Afghanistan, he said, was essential to the security of Nato members. |
"Those who argue otherwise - who say we can defend against terrorism from home - are simply burying their heads in the sand," he said. | "Those who argue otherwise - who say we can defend against terrorism from home - are simply burying their heads in the sand," he said. |