Taliban fighters attack Kabul

January 18, 2010
Telegraph

Heavy fighting has broken out in the centre of the Afghan capital after a wave of up to 20 Taliban attackers launched a series of attacks on government buildings.

Two explosions were followed by heavy exchanges of machine gun fire after a suicide bomber detonated at the gate of the country’s Central Bank according to security officials.

The Taliban said 20 fighters had launched the attacks in an area which hosts a series of high profile ministries and buildings.

Militants and Afghan security forces continued to trade fire close to the presidential palace, the Ministry of Justice and the Aga Khan’s the five-star Serena Hotel.

Afghan forces said they had killed at least two attackers and several were holed up in a cinema building. Guests stranded in the Serena Hotel said guards were involved in a gun battle with the attackers. At least one attacker is thought to have escaped.

Two hours after the first attack another bomb detonated outside Kabul’s largest shopping centre shattering windows in a nearby ministry.

At least two insurgents are reported to have been killed.

The attack came as Hamid Karzai was due to swear in newly appointed members of his cabinet at his palace.

A Taliban spokesman said the insurgent movement had carried out the attack and it had further suicide bombers ready to strike.