BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Taliban militants have staged a suicide car bombing and engaged in a gunfight with security forces near the U.S. consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat.
The attack began with a powerful blast as the car bomber detonated his explosives around 60 metres away from the consulate compound. Other militants then began firing on security forces in the area.
Police said two Afghan security forces were killed in the attack, as were five of the attackers. A number of people were injured.
The U.S. said all its consulate personnel were safe.
Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The situation has been brought under control, but security forces are searching for any militants who may have escaped.
Herat lies near Afghanistan’s border with Iran and is considered one of the better developed cities in the country, with a strong Iranian influence.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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