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At least 12 killed in Explosion and Battle -UN Guest House -Kabul

by albertacowpoke | October 27, 2009 at 06:54 pm

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FOX News has just reported an explosion and machine gun fire near UN buildings in Kabul. Afghan national forces battled militants, held up in a UN Guest House. 5 or 6 militants are believed to be inside. At least 5 people were killed in the carnage.

A Taliban spokes man has claimed responsibility for the attack. He said that they had taken several people hostage. He said that three Taliban militants with suicide vests, machine guns and grenades had carried out the assault.

At least 6 UN staffers are among the dead. At least 20 UN personnel were registered in the Guest House.

Three attackers, two security guards and an Afghan civilian also died. The attack continued for hours. Witnesses said that the attackers work police uniforms. It again begs the question how do you identify the enemy in Afghanistan and how is security provided for UN personnel, when a simple uniform permits them access.

A police spokesman said that four foreign nationals were being held hostage. It is possible that one has been killed as they saw a body being carried from one of the buildings.

At the time of the report it was not known if US Forces were involved.

Responsibility for this attack has been claimed by the Taliban. It proves that the enemy has stepped up its attacks and is communicating that it can reach anyplace in Afghanistan, including Kabul. This is not a pretty picture.

A U.N. security officer at the scene told Reuters about 10 U.N. employees, all believed to be foreign nationals, were inside the building.

"There are four or six terrorists inside," Waheed Sadiqi, a policeman at the scene told Reuters. "The attack is inside a U.N. guest house."

A large plume of smoke was seen rising from the downtown area of Kabul and bursts of automatic weapons fire reverberated through the streets.

The city has been on alert for a Taliban attack ahead of the Nov. 7 runoff presidential election.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Heavy gunfire reverberated through the streets shortly after dawn and a large plume of smoke rose over the city following the attack in the Shar-e-Naw district. Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman saidhttp://www.foxnews.com/...y/0,2933,569926,00.html seven people were killed, including some attackers.

U.N. spokesman Adrian Edwards confirmed that three U.N. staff were among the dead and one was seriously wounded. He said 20 U.N. staff were known to be registered there but he was unsure whether all were there at the time of the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to The Associated Press, saying three militants with suicide vests, grenades and machine guns carried out the assault.

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Mritunjay

at 19:21 on October 27th, 2009

It just makes one wonder if any progress has been made in the War against Terror!

If every nation is against terror then how are these terrorists getting supplies!

albertacowpoke

at 19:33 on October 27th, 2009

Mritunjay, I think that the terrorists are watching the very public fight in America over this war. They are trying to break the resolve of NATO and the American people. It seems to be working.

Amitjha

at 21:44 on October 27th, 2009

God knows when these death story will end.

Hugh Askew

at 01:08 on October 28th, 2009

I see you are quoting from Faux News. Are you certain that it isn't just their opinion that it happened? Have any of the real news networks reported on the story?

albertacowpoke

at 02:05 on October 28th, 2009

I was surprised HA that FOX, the network with a perspective only, was the only one breaking this news early last night and updating it. I notice this morning that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is carrying it as well.