Nine people were killed Saturday when three attackers armed with suicide vests and machine-guns stormed a police station in the heart of the Afghan capital Kabul.The militants got into a compound housing the police station in the crowded main central market area, near the Afghan presidential palace, defense ministry and other official buildings.
Five civilians were among the dead along with three policemen and one officer from Afghanistan's intelligence agency, interior ministry spokesman Najib Nikzad said. Ten civilians and two police were wounded.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest embarrassing breach at a supposedly secure location in Kabul, which comes weeks before limited foreign troop withdrawals are due to start from Afghanistan.
One of the attackers detonated his explosives at the entrance to the compound, allowing his two accomplices into the building, the interior ministry said.
Once inside, they fired at police, sparking a gun battle which lasted for around two hours before the pair were killed. "Three suicide attackers with weapons and explosive vests attacked the police station," Nikzad said. "One of them detonated himself in front of the gate of the station and two others were killed following a firefight with police".
"In this incident, three policemen, one intelligence officer and five civilians were killed and two police, along with 10 other civilians were wounded." he added.
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