KABUL, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban attack on Afghan Presidential Palace in Kabul on Tuesday morning left all four militants dead, police said.
"Four militants involved in the attack are killed by our brave security forces," Kabul police chief Mohammad Ayub Salangi told reporters near the scene.
Based on the initial reports, no security force personnel or civilian was harmed in the attack, he said.
The militants used Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and heavy weapons in the attack which began at around 6:30 a.m. local time as they tried to enter the eastern gate of the palace, he said.
The four-wheel-drive explosive-packed car was also detonated by the attackers, witnesses said.
They said the militants using false entry card had passed the first gate. Sporadic gunfire and RPG explosions lasted for more than one hour and half.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack which they said inflicted casualties on Afghan and U.S. forces.
The Taliban has intensified attacks since they launched annual spring offensive late April.
The incident came as the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins is visiting Kabul for talks with the Afghan leaders over the stalled peace talks with the Taliban.
Taliban opened their political office in Doha, Qatar, on June 18 but the first open peace talks between Taliban and the U.S. representatives over there the same day was cancelled.
Meanwhile the Afghan government suspended negotiations with the United States on a security pact on the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014.
The Afghan government objected to the Taliban office raising the flag of ousted Taliban regime and using nameplate of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Taliban's preference to negotiate with the U.S. instead of President Karzai administration also angered Kabul.
KABUL, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Several blasts and ensuing firing took place near the Afghan Presidential Palace in Kabul Tuesday morning, a source said as the Taliban insurgent group claimed the responsibility.
"The incident happened in Shashdarak area in the eastern edge of the presidential palace," the source told Xinhua anonymously. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest terms" the terrorist attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.
In a statement, the powerful UN body underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these "reprehensible acts of terrorism" to justice, and urged all states "to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard."Full Story
KABUL, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants attacked Kabul city on Tuesday, killing 17 civilians and injuring 39 others, police confirmed.
"In the brutal suicide attack that shocked Kabul city this afternoon, 17 civilians including two women were martyred and 39 others including two women sustained injuries," deputy to Kabul police chief Daud Amin told media at the site of the blast, without giving more details.Full Story
KABUL, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants challenging Afghan and NATO-led forces attacked the heavily guarded Kabul International Airport on Monday.
The attack on the high profile target happened just one day after the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Qatar where he is expected to exchange views with the Qatari leaders on the ongoing Afghan peace process and possible opening of a liaison office for the Taliban to continue peace dialogue.Full Story
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