At least 12-16 people have been killed and more than 80 wounded when Taliban fighters stormed the police headquarters by using multiple SVBIEDs and PBIEDs as well as gunmen in the Afghan city of Kandahar on Thursday, police and medical officials and the Taliban said.
After the blasts, Taliban militants opened fire from nearby positions and members of the security forces battled them, said Tadeen Khan, the southern city’s chief of police.
The attackers targeted the police force’s counter-narcotics wing, Khan said.
VIDEO # 5:
Kandahar police chief Gen. Tadeen Khan talks to TOLO News on today's Taliban attack on Kandahar police HQ. #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/xpEP6hMchW
— F. Jeffery (@Natsecjeff) July 18, 2019
Eyewitnesses said that following the first explosion, three back-to-back explosions were heard and the gunfight was still going on.
VIDEO # 2, also filmed after the SVBIED blast. #Kandahar
Via Tabassum Radio pic.twitter.com/Bu5sPr9Od1
— F. Jeffery (@Natsecjeff) July 18, 2019
VIDEO # 4, via Mashal Afghan: pic.twitter.com/AJJaCt7E3z
— F. Jeffery (@Natsecjeff) July 18, 2019
VIDEO # 7:
This footage shows huge flames rising from the parking lot of the police HQ, presumably due to the vehicles parked inside set on fire. #Kandahar #Afghanistan
Vid via local reporter pic.twitter.com/LPgwZAJa2k
— F. Jeffery (@Natsecjeff) July 18, 2019
VIDEO # 8 filmed after second blast (mostly likely a PBIED). #Kandahar #Afghanistan
Vid via local reporter pic.twitter.com/M8fDPAdwNu
— F. Jeffery (@Natsecjeff) July 18, 2019
Basheer Ahmadi, the spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor, said that 12 people had been killed, including nine civilians and three police officers. Another 89 were wounded, he added.
The increase in violence comes despite reported progress in efforts by the United States to broker an end to Afghanistan’s nearly 18-year war.