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Rocket attack on Afghan capital Rocket attack on Afghan capital
(about 3 hours later)
At least five rockets have been fired into the Afghan capital, Kabul, injuring a child and causing some damage, Afghan officials say. Suspected Taliban militants have fired a series of rockets into the Afghan capital, Kabul, as security fears mount ahead of elections due this month.
One of the rockets landed in the city's diplomatic area near the US embassy, they say. Police say nine rockets fell on the city overnight. Two people were injured but there were no deaths.
Insurgent attacks have increased in the run-up to presidential elections due to take place in Afghanistan on 20 August. In the southern province of Zabul a suicide bomber killed five people, most of them civilians, police said.
A bomb attack in the western Afghan city of Herat on Monday killed at least 12 people and injured more than 20. Insurgent attacks have increased in the run-up to presidential and provincial elections due on 20 August.
Tuesday morning's rocket attacks took place near the east of the capital, towards the international airport and near some residential neighbourhoods, a report said. A bomb attack in the western city of Herat on Monday killed at least 12 people and injured more than 20.
'Morale is high' 'Very loud'
"It was very loud, just as we were praying," said Kabul resident Ismail Khan. The rocket attacks on Kabul began in the early hours of the morning.
Attacks have increased in the run-up to the presidential electionAttacks have increased in the run-up to the presidential election
The BBC's David Loyn in Kabul says the rockets fell across the city, suggesting this may have been a co-ordinated attack from more than one firing position.
Afghan intelligence sources say the main firing point was to the north of the city.
Most of the missiles fell onto empty ground, but one exploded near a senior Afghan general's house in the diplomatic area, close to the US and British embassies, as well as to Nato headquarters.
The explosions were followed by several bursts of rifle fire in the centre of the city.
"It was very loud, just as we were praying," said Kabul resident Ismail Khan.
Another eyewitness Abdul Wali Zai said since the attacks took place early in the morning when the streets were empty, there had been no casualties.Another eyewitness Abdul Wali Zai said since the attacks took place early in the morning when the streets were empty, there had been no casualties.
He said that the attacks would not affect the city's residents ahead of the elections. Our correspondent says Kabul residents will have been reminded of the civil war of the early 1990s, when much of the south of the city was reduced to rubble and tens of thousands of people were killed in continuing salvoes of indiscriminate rocket fire.
"Our morale is very high because it is close to the election," Mr Wali Zai said. Until now the Taliban have not been able to mount sustained attacks of this sort since they fell in 2001.
Although nobody claimed responsibility for the attacks, Kabul's deputy police chief, Mohammad Khalil Dastyar, blamed Taliban fighters. The latest attack shows both their increased strength and their capacity to change their tactics to put pressure on international forces in the run-up to the vote, our correspondent says.
"They're just trying to sabotage and create tension in Kabul," Mr Dastyar told the Associated Press news agency. 'Sabotage'
An officer of the Afghan national army said that the rockets were of the long-range variety and could be fired from portable rocket launchers several miles from their target. Kabul's deputy police chief, Mohammad Khalil Dastyar, blamed Taliban fighters.
"The capital is closely guarded. They had to fire from far away," Major Ghulam Rasul said. "They're just trying to sabotage and create tension in Kabul," he told the Associated Press news agency.
The attacks come a day after the attack in Herat targeted a police convoy, killing and wounding both police and civilians. The Kabul attacks come a day after the attack in Herat targeted a police convoy, killing and wounding both police and civilians.
On Tuesday, police in Zabul province said a suicide attacker walked up to an intelligence agency vehicle in a busy market and blew himself.
An intelligence official and four civilians were killed, police said.
Last week the Taliban explicitly threatened to disrupt the elections.Last week the Taliban explicitly threatened to disrupt the elections.
Tens of thousands of foreign and Afghan forces have been deployed to try to ensure security for the vote.