At least 5 dead, over 120 hurt in attack in attack on German consulate in Afghanistan

At least five people were killed and over 120 wounded after the German Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, was targeted by a suicide truck bomb and subsequent attack by Taliban fighters, official sources confirmed to EFE Friday.


The attack began around 11 pm Thursday and "ended after a few hours just after midnight," said Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesperson for the governor of Balkh province, which Mazar-e-Sharif is capital of, adding the entire area has now been cleared out.

He added, after a truck loaded with explosives rammed into the building, an undetermined number of men attacked the building.

All the insurgents were killed except one who was caught alive, he said.

The spokesperson said five civilians were killed and dozens were injured, but did not have information on whether or not there were "casualties inside the consulate".

Meanwhile, in a statement, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was to avenge the recent bombing by "invading countries" in the northern province of Kunduz, which claimed civilian lives, while accusing Germany of being behind "all the crimes" in that region.

The insurgents' version - which is usually exaggerated - say most of the consulate was destroyed in the attack, and "their spies, soldiers and other employees were killed or injured."

At least 32 civilians have been killed earlier this month in an offensive by the Afghan forces backed by US air support against a group of Taliban fighters, who had gathered north of Kunduz city, capital of the province of the same name.

Afghan President Ashraf Gani has announced he will send a team to Kunduz province to investigate the attack, while the chief of the US and NATO troops in the country, General John Nicholson, promised to collaborate with Kabul to clarify the details.

NATO has about 12,000 personnel, mainly in advisory tasks to the national forces, in the country and the US maintains a force of 9,800 soldiers, which will be reduced to 8,400 next year.
 EFE - EPA
11/11/16

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