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Insurgents storm bank in Afghanistan’s Helmand province Insurgents storm bank in Afghanistan’s Helmand province
(about 2 hours later)
Afghan insurgents stormed a bank in the country’s restive southern province of Helmand on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, including three policemen, authorities said. Afghan insurgents stormed a bank in the country’s southern province of Helmand on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, authorities said.
In the attack, in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, five suicide bombers raided the city’s branch of the New Kabul Bank. One of the attackers blew himself up at the front entrance to allow the other four in, said Omer Zawaj, the spokesman for the provincial governor. Five suicide bombers raided the New Kabul Bank branch in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, with one of the attackers blowing himself up at the entrance to allow the other four in, said Omer Zawaj, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
Once inside, the other suspected Taliban attackers fired at security forces who arrived at the scene and surrounded the building. Once inside, the other attackers, thought to have Taliban militants, fired at security forces who arrived at the scene and surrounded the building.
Helmand police spokesman, Fareed Obaid, said three police officers were among those killed. Helmand’s police spokesman, Fareed Obaid, said three officers were among the dead.
“There are also 15 people wounded, including six members of the Afghan security forces,” he said, adding that the rest of the insurgents were killed in the gun battle.“There are also 15 people wounded, including six members of the Afghan security forces,” he said, adding that the rest of the insurgents were killed in the gun battle.
Earlier, the head doctor at Lashkar Gah hospital said that more than 20 people with gunshot wounds had been admitted. “We’ve also had five bodies brought in,” said Aslan Nawaz. The head doctor at Lashkar Gah hospital, Aslan Nawaz, said more than 20 people had been admitted with gunshot wounds. “We’ve also had five bodies brought in,” he said.
The attack came a day after members of the Pakistani Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, murdering more than 141 people. The attack came a day after members of the Pakistan Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, killing at least 141 people.
The Afghan Taliban condemned the Peshawar attack, saying killing innocents was un-Islamic. The group did however claim responsibility for a deadly attack on a French-run school in Kabul last week, in which a German aid worker was killed. The Afghan Taliban condemned the Peshawar attack, saying killing innocents was not Islamic. The group did, however, claim responsibility for an attack on a French-run school in Kabul last week, in which a German aid worker was killed.
In the eastern province of Nangahar, the chief police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashraqiwal said that 11 insurgents were killed in a drone strike on Tuesday.In the eastern province of Nangahar, the chief police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashraqiwal said that 11 insurgents were killed in a drone strike on Tuesday.
They were in a vehicle when the drone struck, he said, adding that the dead included two insurgent commanders. They were in a vehicle when the drone struck, he said, adding that the dead included two commanders.
Afghanistan’s war with the insurgents, whose leadership is based in Pakistan, has escalated in recent months, and angered the president, Ashraf Ghani, who has vowed to bring peace to the country.