Spanish embassy in Kabul under attack: Afghan,Madrid officials

Kabul, Dec 11: Insurgents have launched an attack on a Spanish embassy compound in Kabul today, Afghan officials said, following reports of gunfire and a massive car bomb in the centre of the city.

It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. "The embassy has been attacked. We are gathering details," a foreign ministry spokesman in Madrid said, information that was confirmed by the Kabul police.

The embassy is in Sherpur in central Kabul, where a huge car bomb struck during rush hour this evening, followed by ongoing bursts of gunfire in an assault that comes as the resurgent Taliban escalate attacks against government and foreign targets. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, but said the target was a foreign guest house.

It was not immediately clear if the guest house was inside the embassy premises. Spanish news agency Europa Press reported that President Mariano Rajoy had been informed, citing government sources. Spain had nine troops left in Afghanistan as of December 2015, according to official NATO figures.

(AFP)