Kabul: Afghan forces on Monday regained control over parts of the capital Kabul after killing all the 36 Taliban militants – some wearing burqas – who unleashed the biggest wave of coordinated suicide attacks in a decade.
The brazen 18-hour attack on the city was brought to an end this morning after militants holed up in two buildings near Parliament were killed by heavy gunfire by Afghan security forces and air assaults from NATO helicopters.
“A total of 47 people were killed in the attacks which also left 65 wounded,” Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi told reporters here. He said the figure included 36 Taliban militants, eight Afghan security guards and three civilians.
“Some of the Taliban suicide bombers came wearing burqas and carrying flowers to their intended targets which included a number of embassies and the Parliament building, before casting it off to unleash their lethal weaponry,” he said.
For the first time, Afghan security forces took the lead in beating back the Taliban assault, a NATO spokesman said, adding that their helicopters had provided air support to obliterate some of the militant held areas. (PTI)