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Three killed in attack on U.S. consulate in Herat
At least three were killed Friday in explosion near the U.S. consulate in Afghanistan's Herat province. The attacks in the western city near the border with Iran began around dawn Friday, and included a gunfight between militants and security forces.The Taliban told the BBC that a suicide bomber had set off explosives outside the building. An Afghan military spokesman said the initial blast damaged the outer defenses of the U.S. consulate and that the attackers later breached the perimeter and opened fire. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf was quoted as saying a truck carrying the attackers sped toward the front gate of the consulate and its occupants began shooting assault rifles, which led to a gunfight with Afghan security forces. Harf said the truck exploded, causing a great deal of damage to the front gate of the consulate, forcing consulate personnel to take shelter inside while U.S. security forces also responded to the attack. Harf said there were no U.S. casualties. She said, "Full details are not known of the extent of the attack at this point, but the attack is currently over." A hospital spokesman said nine wounded people were taken to his facility in Herat. A local security force reported at least three people died in the attack and another 10 were wounded. U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham said,"Many Afghan civilians were killed in the attack, along with others who work for the Consulate as contractors. We are deeply saddened by this senseless loss of life." Posted by: ryuge 2013-09-14 |
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