Asia-Pacific

Taliban clash with police in eastern Afghan city

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-21 15:58

Taliban clash with police in eastern Afghan city

US Marines, attached to the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, cross a make-shift bridge while pursuing militants in Garmsir district of Helmand Province December 20, 2009.?[Agencies]

KABUL: Five militants armed with guns and suicide vests attacked a building in an eastern Afghan city early Monday, officials said, sparking a battle with police that left at least three of the attackers dead.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which was still continuing at midday with police and two remaining gunmen firing at each other in central Gardez, the capital of eastern Paktia province.

The assailants stormed a building near a police station shortly before 10 am, said provincial government spokesman Rahullah Samon. He said three of the attackers died in the fighting, one of them wearing a suicide vest that detonated.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press said that the five attackers were targeting the police station. He said all were wearing suicide vests and were armed with rocket-propelled grenades.

Shops throughout the city were closed as residents hunkered down in their houses to wait out the fighting. University student Jumakhan, who like many Afghans goes by one name, said he saw the fighting start and ran behind nearby building. He said he could see NATO forces in the streets, along with Afghan army and police.

Also Sunday, the Interior Ministry said 21 militants were killed in three separate operations the day before. The ministry said in a statement that the strikes killed eight insurgents in southern Helmand province, six in Ghazni in the east and seven in northern Kunduz province.