By IANS,
Kabul : Multiple blasts rocked the Afghan capital Tuesday and heavily armed Taliban fighters equipped with suicide vests targeted the US embassy, triggering a fierce gunfight that wounded six people.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault.
The attackers occupied a tall building and targeted the US embassy, reports Xinhua.
Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a purported spokesman for the Taliban, told media via telephone from an unknown location that a group of Taliban fighters equipped with arms and suicide vests targeted the embassy and other foreign agencies offices in the vicinity.
The Taliban were driven from power in 2001 and have since carried out a string of terror strikes across the country.
Video footage showed help being extended to a wounded man, with blood gushing out from his arm.
Security forces took up positions on the roads leading to the US embassy, which faced a massive bombing in November 2008 — at least four civilians were killed in the suicide bomb attack.
The embassy is located near government buildings and one of the city’s major landmarks, Massoud Circle.
On Tuesday, the first explosion took place at around 1.30 p.m. and it was quickly followed by the gun battle.
A powerful blast also rocked the western part of Kabul.
“A powerful explosion was heard near the Habibia high school,” a police official told Xinhua.
The explosion happened at the same time when security forces were battling the group of armed insurgents in Makroryan area near the US embassy.
BBC reported that it seemed to be a complex operation with a number of suicide bombers involved.
On Aug 19, seven people, including two foreign nationals, were killed and five were injured in bomb and gun attacks at the British Council in Kabul as the country celebrated its 92nd Independence Day.
Three policemen were among those killed in the attack. A police officer and four foreign nationals were injured.
India Tuesday condemned the attack by militants near the US embassy and clarified that the no Indian had been injured.
“India strongly condemns the incident. The attack is still going on. Security forces in that country are dealing with it,” said a government source.
“All Indians are safe. The attack is not targeted at India or Indian interests.”
Around 4,000 Indians are in Afghanistan and are engaged in a host of reconstruction activities ranging from building roads and bridges to power stations.
India has pledged $2 billion for reconstruction of the violence-torn country.
Violence across Afghanistan has increased since US President Barack Obama announced in June the plans to withdraw 10,000 American troops from the country this year.
The US soldiers will begin returning home in line with the deadline set by Obama in December 2009, when he authorised a surge of 33,000 troops to break the Taliban’s control in Afghanistan.
All the troops sent in the surge will be pulled out by next summer, Obama has said.
“Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security,” he said.
The US has been the largest contributor to the 48-nation International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which currently has more than 130,000 troops in Afghanistan.