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Taliban militants unleashed car bombs at the U.S. Consulate in western Afghanistan on Friday morning, triggering a firefight with security forces in an attack that killed at least two Afghans and wounded 17. The U.S. said all its personnel from the mission were safe and that American forces later secured the site.
The attack in the city of Herat — along with a suicide truck bombing in the country's east that wounded seven Afghans on Friday — raises concerns of spreading insecurity in Afghanistan as U.S.-led troops reduce their presence ahead of a full withdrawal next year. It came two days after the 12 anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and was also a rude return to reality for Afghans who had spent the previous day and a half celebrating their nation's first international soccer championship.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi took responsibility for the Herat attack in a phone call with The Associated Press. Afghan and U.S. officials, meanwhile, offered slightly different accounts of what happened — differences which could not immediately be reconciled.
U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement that the assault began around 5:30 a.m., when "a truck carrying attackers drove to the front gate, and attackers — possibly firing rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles — started firing at Afghan forces and security guards on the exterior of the gates. Shortly after, the entire truck exploded, extensively damaging the front gate."
Rafi said U.S. special forces secured the compound and that no attackers managed to breach it. Harf's statement said "American security personnel" were among the responders, and that "it appears American and contract security personnel addressed any attackers who managed to enter the compound."
Robert Hilton, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, said that "all consulate personnel are safe and accounted for."
Herat lies near Afghanistan's border with Iran and is considered one of the better developed and safer cities in the country, with a strong Iranian influence. Friday's attack there underscored the growing reach of the Taliban, who once mostly concentrated their attacks in the east and the south, but in recent years seem to be able to strike with more frequency in the once-peaceful north and west.....snip~
Afghan Taliban attack US Consulate, kill 2 Afghans
We need to get our people out of here.....Now not waiting til later. The Taliban are still pressing the issue until we leave. They have won this conflict and we are seriously leaving our people at risk. Especially with our limited rules of Engagement.
What are your thoughts on our Consulate in a City that is mostly influenced by Iran?
The attack in the city of Herat — along with a suicide truck bombing in the country's east that wounded seven Afghans on Friday — raises concerns of spreading insecurity in Afghanistan as U.S.-led troops reduce their presence ahead of a full withdrawal next year. It came two days after the 12 anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and was also a rude return to reality for Afghans who had spent the previous day and a half celebrating their nation's first international soccer championship.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi took responsibility for the Herat attack in a phone call with The Associated Press. Afghan and U.S. officials, meanwhile, offered slightly different accounts of what happened — differences which could not immediately be reconciled.
U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement that the assault began around 5:30 a.m., when "a truck carrying attackers drove to the front gate, and attackers — possibly firing rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles — started firing at Afghan forces and security guards on the exterior of the gates. Shortly after, the entire truck exploded, extensively damaging the front gate."
Rafi said U.S. special forces secured the compound and that no attackers managed to breach it. Harf's statement said "American security personnel" were among the responders, and that "it appears American and contract security personnel addressed any attackers who managed to enter the compound."
Robert Hilton, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, said that "all consulate personnel are safe and accounted for."
Herat lies near Afghanistan's border with Iran and is considered one of the better developed and safer cities in the country, with a strong Iranian influence. Friday's attack there underscored the growing reach of the Taliban, who once mostly concentrated their attacks in the east and the south, but in recent years seem to be able to strike with more frequency in the once-peaceful north and west.....snip~
Afghan Taliban attack US Consulate, kill 2 Afghans
We need to get our people out of here.....Now not waiting til later. The Taliban are still pressing the issue until we leave. They have won this conflict and we are seriously leaving our people at risk. Especially with our limited rules of Engagement.
What are your thoughts on our Consulate in a City that is mostly influenced by Iran?