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Suicide bombs hit Afghan capital Suicide attack on Afghan capital
(about 2 hours later)
At least nine people have died in a series of explosions and gunfire in the Afghan capital, Kabul, officials say. Explosions and gunfire in the centre of the Afghan capital, Kabul, have left at least 14 people dead, officials say.
A suicide bomber detonated his explosives and two other attackers were shot dead, a government official said. A suicide bomber detonated explosives near Kabul's main shopping centre. Several smaller blasts followed and two other attackers were shot dead.
A spokesman for the Taliban said the Islamist rebels claimed responsibility for the attacks, carried out close to a shopping centre and a hotel. A spokesman for the Taliban said they carried out the attacks. Two policemen are reported to be among the dead.
Kabul has been the target of sometimes deadly insurgent attacks, but has been relatively quiet for the past month. The violence comes as Nato and Afghan forces continue Operation Moshtarak to tackle the Taliban in Helmand province.
On 18 January, Taliban bombers and gunmen attacked government targets and shopping malls in Kabul, killing 12 people. Kabul has been relatively quiet since 18 January, when Taliban bombers and gunmen attacked government targets and shopping malls, killing 12 people.
Friday's attack is also the Taliban's first major raid since the arrest of key leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Pakistan this month.
Crying and shoutingCrying and shouting
The BBC's Martin Patience, in Kabul, says the first blast happened at 0630 local time (0200 GMT) on Friday, close to a large shopping centre. The BBC's Martin Patience, in Kabul, says the first blast happened at 0630 local time (0200 GMT) close to the Kabul City Centre shopping area and the Safi Landmark Hotel.
Kabul police official Abdul Ghafor Sayedzada said two explosions happened near the nine-storey Kabul City Center shopping area, close to the Safi Landmark Hotel, the Associated Press reported. With all the police checkpoints and tens of thousands of police and military personnel on the streets of Kabul, how do the terrorists still get in? Dr Azizi, eyewitness
A building in front of the hotel had caught fire, he said. There are unconfirmed reports that a number of foreign nationals may have been killed.
At least two smaller explosions were heard later along with gunfire. At least 32 people are reported to have been injured in the attacks.
Officials said two policemen had been killed in the attack, and there were reports of others injured. It was not clear whether any foreigners had been killed. Kabul police official Abdul Ghafor Sayedzada said a building in front of the hotel had caught fire.
One eyewitness said that he saw one suicide bomber blowing himself up on the first floor of the hotel. At least two smaller explosions were reported and security forces exchanged fire with gunmen for several hours after sealing off the area.
Sirens blared across the city and announcements from loudspeakers warned people to stay indoors.
One eyewitness said he saw a suicide bomber blowing himself up on the first floor of the hotel.
"I saw foreigners were crying and shouting. It was a very bad situation inside. God help me, otherwise I would be dead," one hotel worker, called Najibullah, said."I saw foreigners were crying and shouting. It was a very bad situation inside. God help me, otherwise I would be dead," one hotel worker, called Najibullah, said.
Sirens blared across the city and announcement from loudspeakers warned people to stay indoors. Another witness, Dr Azizi, said he was sleeping in his office 200m away when the first explosion occurred.
It is not clear what exactly was the target of the attack or who carried it out, our correspondent says. "After the initial bang, I heard two or more explosions and then gunfire. The message... is that we are not safe. With all the police checkpoints and tens of thousands of police and military personnel on the streets of Kabul, how do the terrorists still get in?"
Although the shopping centre is in the heart of Kabul, our correspondent says the timing of the explosion - in the morning at the start of what is effectively the Afghan weekend - meant few people were likely to be in the area.Although the shopping centre is in the heart of Kabul, our correspondent says the timing of the explosion - in the morning at the start of what is effectively the Afghan weekend - meant few people were likely to be in the area.
The violence comes as Nato and Afghan forces continue Operation Moshtarak, driving Taliban fighters from their strongholds in Helmand province, in the south of Afghanistan.
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