Afghanistan: rocket 'fired at British embassy residence in Kabul'

Multiple blasts and gunfire have been heard in the central district, home to a number of international embassies.


There have also been blasts near the parliament building in the west of the capital, where security forces are said to be fighting at least six militants.


There is normally a surge in the number of Taliban attacks at this time of year following a relative lull in winter.


A Taliban spokesman said they were behind the Kabul attacks on the diplomatic enclave and parliament, as well as ongoing attacks in Logar province, close to Kabul, and Paktia province.


At least a dozen large explosions and automatic gunfire were heard in the city centre. Gunfire appeared to be coming from various directions in the barricaded diplomatic area of the city, close to both the U.S. and British embassies, and embassy alarms were sounding.
Smoke billowed from the direction of the German embassy, while explosions from rocket-propelled grenades rocked nearby buildings. The embassies were not immediately available to comment.


The site of the blast was not immediately clear. Smoke could be seen rising from a few buildings and sirens could be heard through the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood. Pedestrians in the streets took cover as shooting continued.
Residents across town also reported explosions near the parliament building. A police officer in the area, Mohammad Assan, said there was an attack involving shooting near parliament.

It was the first attack in Kabul since a shooting inside the Interior Ministry in February in which a ministry employee turned a gun on Nato advisers and shot two soldiers dead.