Three Gunmen Killed After Entering Charity Offices In Kabul

Three gunmen have been killed in a firefight with Afghan special forces after they entered a building belonging to a charity in Kabul.

Six people were also wounded in the skirmish overnight, which happened the day after 41 people died in twin bomb attacks in the Afghan capital. 

The latest incident began with a suicide attack in the Shar-e Naw district, which is home to foreigners and diplomats. 

A bomber struck close to the building used by Care International late on Monday night, after which three gunman entered the building.

However it is unclear whether the charity was the initial target, or if it was the nearby office of Afghanistan's former intelligence chief, Rahmatullah Nabil. 

The charity said: "An armed group launched an attack on what is believed to have been an Afghan government compound located close to the Kabul office of CARE."

It said its staff had been safely evacuated. 

The Interior Ministry said in a statement: "Police special forces immediately reached the site of the attack and started rescuing people from the building ... 42 people who were trapped were evacuated by the security forces."

Ten foreigners were among those rescued. 

The Interior Ministry said all the attackers had been killed. 

"Our new investigation shows ... only six people were wounded," the ministry said in a statement.

It was earlier reported that one civilian had died. 

Amnesty International has described the attack as a "war crime".    

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for it, although the Taliban has said it was to blame for the twin attack on Monday.      

Those killed close to the defence ministry yesterday included a general and four other officers, while 110 others were wounded.  

The Interior Ministry initially said the double assault was carried out by two suicide bombers on foot.   

​But officials later said the first bomb was detonated remotely while the second was triggered by a suicide bomber.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish said: "The first explosion occurred on a bridge near the defence ministry. 

"The second struck just as soldiers, policemen and civilians hurried to help the victims."

The assault was apparently intended to inflict mass casualties as officials left the ministry after work.

President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the bombings and offered condolences to the families of the victims.