Building of Afghan ministry attacked, two gunmen killed

KABUL, April 20 

Gunmen attacked the building of the Communications Ministry in the centre of Kabul on Saturday, interrupting months of relative calm in the Afghan capital and underlining the continued security threats despite efforts to open peace talks with the Taliban.

The attack began shortly before midday when a suicide bomb was detonated at the entrance to the multi-storey building housing the ministry in a busy commercial area of the city, followed up by gunfire which could be heard over a mile away.

“We saw a gunman trying to break open an office door and as we were running out, he was trying to shoot us and he started shouting ‘I will kill everyone here’,” said Syeda Rashid, an office administrator in the ministry who escaped with several of her colleagues. She said at least six women had been wounded.

The area around the building was sealed off by police as at least three attackers battled security forces for several hours before the attack was finally suppressed in the late afternoon, Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.   Hundreds of workers from the communications ministry, the ministry of information and culture and the central statistics officer were evacuated from the building, — Reuters

Blast by suicide squad

• Attack interrupts months of relative calm in Afghan capital
• Explosion appeared to be caused by suicide bomber, say officials
• At least two attackers killed, Interior Ministry spokesman said
• No word on further casualties, no claim of responsibility