Rockets hit U.S. Embassy in Kabul as nearby bomb injures 4

[News_Editor]

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Two rockets fired by the Taliban impacted the U.S. embassy compound in Kabul just before dawn Wednesday, causing neither damage nor casualties, officials said. A bomb blast in the vicinity of the embassy injured four Afghan police officers.

The attack happened at around 6:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday when at least "two rounds of indirect fire" impacted the U.S. Embassy compound in the Afghan capital, but both impacted the ground and caused no damage to nearby buildings. "All Americans are accounted for and no injuries were sustained," an embassy official said, giving no other details.

The rocket attack was followed by a tip that led Afghan police officers to an improvised explosive device (IED) in the vicinity of the embassy compound, an interior ministry spokesman said. The device exploded at around 7:30 a.m. local time while officers were attempting to defuse it, seriously injuring four of them.

A third rocket impacted Maranjan hill, located a short distance from the presidential palace, but no casualties were reported.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid later claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks, saying one of the rockets had targeted a base belonging to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). "Mujahideen (Muslim fighters) of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban) pounded the U.S. embassy in the heart of Kabul city with missiles at dawn on Wednesday," he said.

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