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Kabul police try to oust attackers from key building Kabul police headquarters attacked
(about 4 hours later)
Militants have attacked traffic police headquarters in the west of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Militants have attacked the traffic police headquarters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, taking control of the building for several hours.
Two explosions went off outside the office just before dawn, injuring some civilians and police, officials said. At least three policemen and five insurgents were killed during the battle to regain control.
Gunmen then attacked the building and Afghan forces are now trying to dislodge two militants holed up inside. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which began when a suicide bomb was detonated shortly before dawn.
The Taliban, who have hit a number of Kabul targets recently, claimed responsibility for the attack in a text message sent to media organisations. It is the second such major attack in Kabul in a week.
Last week the group attacked the National Directorate of Security in the city centre, killing four guards working for the intelligence services. Last week, the National Directorate of Security, in the city centre, was attacked, and four guards working for the intelligence services were killed.
Hours-long attack The Taliban, who have hit a number of Kabul targets recently, claimed responsibility for Monday's attack in a text message sent to media organisations.
The two militants still inside the huge traffic police complex are armed with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and have been tossing hand grenades out of windows of the third floor, reports the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul. Hand grenades
Police were trying to prevent them getting on to the roof of the four-storey building. The siege began when two bombs were detonated - one a suicide bomb and the second a car bomb - before armed men stormed the building in the west of the capital.
The attack began when at least one militant blew himself up outside the headquarters, police said. It took Afghan forces nine hours to dislodge them, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi told the Associated Press.
A powerful car bomb also went off and a second attacker was shot by security forces. Kabul police chief Gen Ayoub Salangi told Agence France-Presse that the operation had taken a long time partly because police did not want to damage documents held inside the building.
Explosions could be heard across the city and black smoke could be seen rising from the upper floors of the building. "It's over. The last two terrorists are dead and they were not even given the chance to detonate their suicide vests," he said.
Earlier, Kabul Police head General Ayoub Salangi told the BBC that four police and six civilians had been wounded in the attack. The militants were armed with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades and tossed hand grenades out of windows of the four-storey building.
During the siege, explosions could be heard across the city and black smoke could be seen rising from the upper floors of the building.
Earlier, Gen Salangi told the BBC that four police and six civilians had been wounded in the attack.
Our correspondent says the strategic location of the traffic department - close to several key police units as well as the country's parliament - suggests it could have been chosen as a launching pad for a more prolonged attack.Our correspondent says the strategic location of the traffic department - close to several key police units as well as the country's parliament - suggests it could have been chosen as a launching pad for a more prolonged attack.
The incident was causing traffic gridlock in certain areas of Kabul - where busy intersections are controlled by police rather than traffic lights - as officers were unable to get to work. The incident caused traffic gridlock in certain areas of Kabul - where busy intersections are controlled by police rather than traffic lights - as officers were unable to get to work.
Militant groups continue to mount regular attacks in Afghanistan, raising questions as to how the Afghan security forces will cope after international troops leave the country in 2014.Militant groups continue to mount regular attacks in Afghanistan, raising questions as to how the Afghan security forces will cope after international troops leave the country in 2014.
On Monday, Afghans took to Twitter and Facebook to criticise the security services for their inability to prevent such audacious insurgent attacks.On Monday, Afghans took to Twitter and Facebook to criticise the security services for their inability to prevent such audacious insurgent attacks.