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| Explosions and heavy gunfire reported in wealthy district of Kabul | Explosions and heavy gunfire reported in wealthy district of Kabul |
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| Heavy gunfire and explosions echoed through an upmarket district of Afghanistan’s capital late on Tuesday night, as police surrounded the area. | |
| The firefight in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood, which is home to several embassies, appeared to be focused on a guesthouse. It began just after 11pm (6.30pm GMT), with heavy explosions accompanying sporadic automatic weapon fire. | |
| No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid intensified fighting across many parts of Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their warm weather offensive a month ago. | No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid intensified fighting across many parts of Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their warm weather offensive a month ago. |
| Taliban militants attacked another guesthouse earlier this month in Kabul, killing an American, a British citizen, an Italian, four Indian nationals, five Afghans and two Pakistanis. The United Nations already has documented a record high number of civilian casualties – 974 killed and 1,963 injured – in the first four months of 2015, a 16% increase over the same period last year. | |
| Afghan security forces have been struggling to fend off Taliban attacks since US and Nato forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of last year. | |
| Earlier on Tuesday, four militants launched an attack on the courthouse in the capital of Wardak province, some 25 miles from Kabul, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor. | Earlier on Tuesday, four militants launched an attack on the courthouse in the capital of Wardak province, some 25 miles from Kabul, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor. |
| One of the attackers blew himself up as the other three exchanged fire with police before being killed, Khogyani said. | One of the attackers blew himself up as the other three exchanged fire with police before being killed, Khogyani said. |
| In Uruzgan province, officials said that military forces have been under attack by militants for the past two weeks. “A high number of Taliban are attacking different checkpoints but we are not getting any response from senior officials in Kabul,” district chief Abdul Karim Karimi said. | |
| He added that since the fighting began, 12 soldiers have been killed and dozens wounded. “Unless we get government help, we are going to lose the district,” he said. | He added that since the fighting began, 12 soldiers have been killed and dozens wounded. “Unless we get government help, we are going to lose the district,” he said. |
| On Monday, militants killed at least 26 police officers and soldiers in ambushes in southern Helmand province. As police retreated, militants surrounded the police headquarters of Nawzad district and fired down on them from surrounding hills, district police chief Napas Khan said. | On Monday, militants killed at least 26 police officers and soldiers in ambushes in southern Helmand province. As police retreated, militants surrounded the police headquarters of Nawzad district and fired down on them from surrounding hills, district police chief Napas Khan said. |