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| Afghanistan parliament attacked by Taliban suicide bomber and gunmen – rolling updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.42am BST08:42 | |
| Ehsanullah Amiri, from the Wall Street Journal, has this photograph of a chaotic and dusty scene inside the parliament after the attack. | |
| The parliament hall covered with dust after a huge blast outside of the compound. #Kabul #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/t33vNMyR1Q | |
| 8.37am BST08:37 | |
| More than 20 injured | |
| More than 20 people were injured in the attack according to Tolo News, citing health officials. | |
| KABUL - 21 civilians injured in Parliament attack - incl 5 women and 3 children: health officials | |
| 8.31am BST08:31 | |
| The attack comes at a time when the northern province of Kunduz has been under heavy Taliban siege for weeks, writes Sune Engel Rasmussen. | |
| Over the weekend, according to a ministry of defence spokesman, Taliban forces took control over Chardara district in Kunduz. The province has become the epicentre of the Taliban’s spring offensive, and fighting there has displaced at least 6,000 families, according to humanitarian organisations. | |
| The parliament attack also follows several recent attacks, which have rattled the Afghan capital. On 14 May, gunmen killed 14 people, including 9 foreigners, when they stormed a guesthouse in central Kabul. | |
| Two weeks later, on 26 May, gunmen attacked another guesthouse, housing dozens of foreign contractors, albeit without killing any of them. | |
| 8.28am BST08:28 | |
| Afghanistan’s rolling news channel Tolo News, has footage of parliament being evacuated. One MP was shown taking video, or images, on her iPad before being ushered away | |
| 8.22am BST08:22 | |
| Kabul chief of police Abdurrahman Rahimi, told Guardian reporter Sune Engel Rasmussen that a car bomb exploded close to the parliament. | |
| After the blast a group of armed militants attacked from the east side of parliament where they climbed onto an empty building under construction and started firing, according to Rahimi’s account. | |
| “Senators and members of lower house are all safe. We took them out,” Rahimi said, adding that a clearing operation was now underway. | |
| 8.17am BST08:17 | |
| MP Harif Rahmani, who was inside parliament at the time of the explosions, confirms that MPs were evacuated to safety with no serious injuries. | |
| He told Tolo News that gunmen did not enter the building after a 20 battle outside. He also parliament was warned of the attack. | |
| KABUL: Rahmani says no gunmen were able to enter Parliament due to heavy security presence | |
| KABUL - Rahmani says that Parliament was warned a few days ago that they would come under attack | |
| KABUL: Rahmani says Parliament security fought attackers off for more than 20 minutes before security forces arrived | |
| 8.11am BST08:11 | 8.11am BST08:11 |
| Suicide bomber and gunmen attacked building | Suicide bomber and gunmen attacked building |
| A Taliban suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked the parliament building, according to Reuters. | A Taliban suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked the parliament building, according to Reuters. |
| The attack shattered windows and forced MPs to flee the building, it said. Afghan security officials said all the politicians were safe. | The attack shattered windows and forced MPs to flee the building, it said. Afghan security officials said all the politicians were safe. |
| “A suicide bomber blew himself up just outside the parliament building and several fighters took positions in a building close to parliament,” Ebadullah Karimi, spokesman for Kabul police, told Reuters. | “A suicide bomber blew himself up just outside the parliament building and several fighters took positions in a building close to parliament,” Ebadullah Karimi, spokesman for Kabul police, told Reuters. |
| Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility. | Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility. |
| “We have launched an attack on parliament as there was an important gathering to introduce the country’s defence minister,” he said by phone. | “We have launched an attack on parliament as there was an important gathering to introduce the country’s defence minister,” he said by phone. |
| Reuters points out that the attack came after a second district in two days fell to the Taliban in the north. It adds this context: | Reuters points out that the attack came after a second district in two days fell to the Taliban in the north. It adds this context: |
| Violence has spiralled in Afghanistan since the departure of most foreign forces at the end of last year and the fall of the second district raises questions about the Nato-trained Afghan security forces’ ability to fight the Taliban. | Violence has spiralled in Afghanistan since the departure of most foreign forces at the end of last year and the fall of the second district raises questions about the Nato-trained Afghan security forces’ ability to fight the Taliban. |
| Insurgents are pushing to take territory more than 13 years after the US-led military intervention that toppled the Taliban from power. | Insurgents are pushing to take territory more than 13 years after the US-led military intervention that toppled the Taliban from power. |
| The withdrawal of foreign forces and a reduction in US air strikes have allowed Taliban fighters to launch several major attacks in important Afghan provinces. | The withdrawal of foreign forces and a reduction in US air strikes have allowed Taliban fighters to launch several major attacks in important Afghan provinces. |
| The second district to fall to the Taliban on Monday was in the northern province of Kunduz. | The second district to fall to the Taliban on Monday was in the northern province of Kunduz. |
| The Taliban captured Dasht-e-Archi district a day after hundreds of militants fought their way to the centre of the adjacent district of Chardara. | The Taliban captured Dasht-e-Archi district a day after hundreds of militants fought their way to the centre of the adjacent district of Chardara. |
| “The Taliban managed to take it over this morning as the area has been surrounded for days,” Nasruddin Saeedi, the district governor who escaped to the provincial capital, Kunduz city, told Reuters by telephone. | “The Taliban managed to take it over this morning as the area has been surrounded for days,” Nasruddin Saeedi, the district governor who escaped to the provincial capital, Kunduz city, told Reuters by telephone. |
| “They are many foreign fighters with heavy machine guns. We have asked for reinforcements, but none arrived.” | “They are many foreign fighters with heavy machine guns. We have asked for reinforcements, but none arrived.” |
| The fall of the second district within a day underlines questions about Afghan forces’ ability to quell the Taliban. Afghan soldiers were preparing a counterattack to retake both districts, another local official said. | The fall of the second district within a day underlines questions about Afghan forces’ ability to quell the Taliban. Afghan soldiers were preparing a counterattack to retake both districts, another local official said. |
| 7.59am BST07:59 | 7.59am BST07:59 |
| There were chaotic scenes after the attack as the security forces struggled to cope, Fawzia Koofi, a lawmaker who was in the parliament building at the time of the attack, told Sune Engel Rasmussen in Kabul. | There were chaotic scenes after the attack as the security forces struggled to cope, Fawzia Koofi, a lawmaker who was in the parliament building at the time of the attack, told Sune Engel Rasmussen in Kabul. |
| “The parliament ceiling fell down, including the lights and everything. Then shooting started from here and there,” she said. There was a “huge lack of coordination” on part of the security forces, she added. “ | “The parliament ceiling fell down, including the lights and everything. Then shooting started from here and there,” she said. There was a “huge lack of coordination” on part of the security forces, she added. “ |
| We went to the basement but we didn’t see any security forces. We went to the basement ourselves,” she said. After thirty minutes, she said, she and other parliamentarians were able to get inside their armoured vehicles to drive to safety. | We went to the basement but we didn’t see any security forces. We went to the basement ourselves,” she said. After thirty minutes, she said, she and other parliamentarians were able to get inside their armoured vehicles to drive to safety. |
| “The enemies of Afghanistan would like to harm our democracy. We are not armed people we are just talking,” Koofi said. | “The enemies of Afghanistan would like to harm our democracy. We are not armed people we are just talking,” Koofi said. |
| 7.55am BST07:55 | 7.55am BST07:55 |
| What we know so far | What we know so far |
| Parliament under attack in Kabul as new Minister of Defense was being introduced for approval. Taliban claims responsibility. #Afghanistan | Parliament under attack in Kabul as new Minister of Defense was being introduced for approval. Taliban claims responsibility. #Afghanistan |
| Welcome to live coverage of the aftermath of an attack on the parliament building Kabul. | Welcome to live coverage of the aftermath of an attack on the parliament building Kabul. |
| A loud explosion and gunfire has occurred outside the Afghan parliament building in the western part of Kabul. | A loud explosion and gunfire has occurred outside the Afghan parliament building in the western part of Kabul. |
| The attack happened as the Afghanistan’s new defence minister, Massoom Stanekzai, was due to be vetted in parliament, according to reports. | The attack happened as the Afghanistan’s new defence minister, Massoom Stanekzai, was due to be vetted in parliament, according to reports. |
| The Taliban is reported to have claimed responsibility for the attack, which is believe to involve rocket propelled grenades. | The Taliban is reported to have claimed responsibility for the attack, which is believe to involve rocket propelled grenades. |
| Attack on Afghan Parliament live boradcast: Sounds like insurgents are positioned in a building outside the parliament compund, firing RPGs. | Attack on Afghan Parliament live boradcast: Sounds like insurgents are positioned in a building outside the parliament compund, firing RPGs. |
| Television was broadcasting live from parliament when the explosion struck | Television was broadcasting live from parliament when the explosion struck |
| The head of parliament was shown on TV speaking when an explosion occurred. He initially tried to carry on speaking even after the blast shook the building. But he was then quickly ushered away by security men. | The head of parliament was shown on TV speaking when an explosion occurred. He initially tried to carry on speaking even after the blast shook the building. But he was then quickly ushered away by security men. |
| MPs were later reported to have been moved to safety, as the security forces surrounded the area. | MPs were later reported to have been moved to safety, as the security forces surrounded the area. |
| KABUL: MPs have been moved to a safe area. Security forces have surrounded area and cordoned it off pic.twitter.com/k4ky6xH6Ll | KABUL: MPs have been moved to a safe area. Security forces have surrounded area and cordoned it off pic.twitter.com/k4ky6xH6Ll |
| Inside #Parliment Photo: #Hamedhaidary pic.twitter.com/naNmAVislc | Inside #Parliment Photo: #Hamedhaidary pic.twitter.com/naNmAVislc |
| Updated at 8.02am BST | Updated at 8.02am BST |