Taliban attack gov't interests in S. Afghan province
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Afghan security forces after four hours of gun battle with Taliban militants on Friday eliminated three attackers and brought the situation in Helmand's provincial Lashkar Gah under control, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said.
"One of the militants was shot and killed by security forces while two others blew themselves up during the firefight but caused no loss of life," Ahmadi told Xinhua.
He also admitted that one police constable and one Afghan army soldier sustained injuries in the gun battle.
The official did not say if there were any casualties on civilians. However, locals say that the gun battle had forces many to stay indoors or leave their houses for safer places.
According to locals sporadic firing and gun shots are still hearing in the area.
Taliban militants in a new wave of violence occupied a building in Lashkar Gah the capital of Helmand province, south Afghanistan Friday morning and begun targeting several government entities around, a police officer Almas Khan said.
"Five armed Taliban insurgents occupied a building in Helmand's provincial capital Lashkar Gah early morning and begun firing on army and police departments," Khan told Xinhua.
Spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi, however did not say where the two remaining militants have gone.
Meantime, commander of Afghan forces in Helmand province General Mohiudin Ghori told Xinhua that the search operation for remaining two or more insurgents in coordination with police and NATO-led troops is going on.
On the other hand, A Taliban purported spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi in talks with media via cellular phone from undisclosed location claimed responsibility and said seven suicide bombers entered Lashkar Gah to target government interests including Governor House and local office of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). A similar attack by Taliban on capital city Kabul in January 18 left 15 people dead including 10 attackers and injured over 70 others with majority of whom are civilians.
