Taliban onslaught rocks Kandahar

KANDAHAR (AFP) - The Taliban unleashed a coordinated spate of attacks on government targets in the key southern Afghan city of Kandahar Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding 29. President Hamid Karzai charged that the violence was revenge for this weeks killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by US troops in Pakistan, but the Taliban said the operation was planned several weeks ahead. Targets in the first major incident since the Taliban unveiled the start of its spring offensive included the offices of the governor, mayor and intelligence service plus two schools and several police offices. The violence in the Talibans heartland city kicked off around 1:00 pm (0930 GMT) when militants with guns and rocket-propelled grenades holed up in nearby buildings and attacked the governors office. Later on, ten explosions including six suicide blasts, two car bombs and two rickshaw bombs rocked the city. Provincial governor Tooryalai Wesa, who was in his compound as the attack took place, revealed details of casualties in a press conference while officials stressed the fighting was not yet over. As a result of todays terrorist attacks, 29 people were injured and two were killed. Ten members of security forces are among the injured, Wesa said. A statement from his office added: Our security forces have repulsed all enemy attacks but their resistance is still continuing in one area... but will soon be over. The two buildings close to the governors office, the focal point of the attacks, are now thought to have been almost been cleared, although aircraft targeting insurgents were circling in the skies above. However, fighting near the National Directorate of Security (NDS) office was ongoing where insurgents occupied a six-storey hotel. Militants with guns and rocket-propelled grenades launched an assault on the governors office. Rocket-propelled grenades were fired into the governors building. The northern and eastern sides of the compound were under direct attack, an official said. It is believed that Kandahar governor Tooryalai Wesa was holed up in his compound.

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