Afghan Taliban attack US consulate

The Afghanistan Flag. 

Taliban insurgents have attacked in the US consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat. The Taliban told the British Broadcasting Corporation that a suicide bomber had detonated explosives outside the building on Friday, and other fighters then opened fire on the building. Several Afghan police are reported to have been killed and injured in the gun battle. A US State Department spokesperson said: "A truck carrying attackers drove to the front gate, and the attackers, possibly firing rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles, commenced attacking Afghan Protective forces on the exterior gates". She added: "Shortly after, the entire truck exploded, extensively damaging the front gate [to the consulate]". At 04.00 Greenwich Median Time (GMT), The Nato-led International Security Assistance force posted on twitter that the consulate had been secured "with all enemy forces being killed". The post added that the International Security assistance and Afghan National Security forces were at the scene of the attack. A US embassy spokesperson told the AFP news agency: "All consulate personell are safe and accounted for". It is believed many civilians were injured in the attack, and that two Afghan police officers and a consulate guard lost their lives.