The Taliban are firing rockets at our embassy in Kabul. “Militants Launch Attack on U.S. Embassy in Kabul,” by Alissa J. Rubin and Jack Healy in the New York Times, September 13:
KABUL, Afghanistan “” Insurgents launched a complex assault against the United States Embassy and the nearby NATO headquarters on Tuesday, pelting the heavily guarded compounds with rockets in an assault that raised new questions about the security of Afghanistan’s capital and the Westerners working there.
At least 10 explosions “” apparently from rockets launched by militants “” and waves of automatic weapons fire were reported amid the drone of sirens and English-language warnings telling Americans inside the embassy to take cover.
It was unclear whether anyone “” Western or Afghan “” had been hurt or killed, but it appeared that one rocket had struck a minibus belonging to the Tak Beer private school, and witnesses said that young adults had been carried away bleeding and apparently unconscious.
Kerri Hannan, a spokeswoman for the American embassy, said that no embassy personnel were injured in the attack.
Afghan officials said several attackers were behind the assault, but it was unclear precisely how many assailants there were or whether they were attacking from a single or multiple locations. The attackers were holed up on several floors of a tall, partially built concrete building that offered a bird’s-eye view of the secured diplomatic and military compounds about a half mile away. Flashes from gun barrels could be seen as the militants fired from their perch. Afghan security forces returned fire from the ground, sending puffs of concrete dust into the air as bullets slapped the building.
“We don’t know how many suicide bombers are in the building,” said Col. Abdul Zahir, of the criminal investigative division of the Kabul police. “They”re shooting at the embassy. We”re still in fighting position. We can’t say anything.”
Two explosions were also reported near the Afghan Parliament, but it was unclear whether militants were specifically trying to attack the government building, or other targets….