Militants Storm Afghan Govt Offices in Kabul, at Least 43 Killed

Nearly six hours of fighting reported at public works offices

Large numbers of militants have stormed several offices around the Afghan capital of Kabl belonging to the Public Works Ministry. This led to six hours of fighting with the security forces, and at least 43 killed.

Attacks began against offices of the Martyrs and the Disabled, where attackers stormed areas handling pensions. It quickly spread throughout the area, with some 350 workers stuck inside the buildings.

A car bomb started the attack, and gunmen stormed the area. By the time security forces arrived, they were dug in for a long siege. Officials say they are finding more wounded, and the overall toll may yet rise.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but officials claimed that three attackers were killed in the fighting. It is also unclear how many attackers there were in the first place.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.