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Four insurgents hit Kabul police station – official | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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KABUL, (Reuters) – Four suicide bombers attacked a Kabul police compound in the old city on Saturday and one remained holed up inside a building battling Afghan security forces, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.

“One bomber blew himself up at the gate to pave the way for the others to enter, and a second one was shot dead by the police,” spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said, adding that there were no dead reported beyond the attackers.

Two entered a building in the compound, where police killed a third and the final attacker continued to battle security forces, Sediqqi added.

Outside the station, heavily armed police loaded a wounded colleague into the back of a pick-up truck and sped off, while other officials fired in the direction of the police building.

“There were three blasts. We don’t know what is going on here and what is happening,” said witness Abdul Wahed.

Pictures on Afhganistan’s Tolo television station showed shots being fired through deserted riverside streets that are normally bustling with shoppers and stall holders.

This was the second suicide bomb attack in Kabul in recent weeks. On May 21, a suicide bomber killed six people and wounded 23 at a military hospital in a heavily guarded area of Kabul.

The Taliban vowed last month to carry out attacks, including suicide bombings, on foreign and Afghan troops and government officials.

Despite the presence of up to 150,000 foreign troops, violence across Afghanistan is at its worst since the 2001 overthrow of the Taliban government by U.S.-backed Afghan forces.

Last year, both sides suffered record casualties and this year is following a similar trend.