5 bombers killed in attack on Indian consulate

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Five suicide bombers were killed after they stormed the Indian consulate in western Herat province on Friday morning, officials said.

The group of bombers started firing at the diplomatic mission at 4.00am when it entered a residential building in front of the consulate in Herat City.

Ihsanullah Ihsan, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News the incident triggered a fierce firefight with security forces, lasting several hours.

In Kabul, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman said the clash had ended and a clearing operation was ongoing. Siddique Ahmad Siddiqui said the fire exchange came to a halt at 11am. The families living in the building were rescued unhurt, he added.

The consulate suffered no major damage in the attack, which slightly injured two policemen, according to the official, who said the bodies of two suicide bombers were lying at the scene.

But Abdul Qayyum Karimi, the deputy chief for coordination, said: “Three suicide bombers were killed at the beginning of the clash and two others are believed to have died in a fire inside the basement of the building.”

The first attacker trying to plant explosives near the consulate boundary wall was shot dead by security guards, he said. The assailants wielded light and heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades.

Earlier, Zonal Hospital spokesman Mohammad Rafiq Sherzai said one Quick Reaction Force official injured in the clash had been evacuated to the medical facility.

In New Delhi, a foreign ministry spokesman told a TV channel: “One gunman was shot by the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) while they were trying to breach the consulate.”

Syed Akbaruddin said Indian and Afghan security forces managed to repulse the attack.  However, he did not say who was behind the assault.

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