AP, Kabul :
Taliban militants attacked the main Afghan election commission’s headquarters on Saturday in Kabul, opening fire on the compound with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns from a house outside its perimeter wall, according to police.
It’s the latest in a series of high-profile attacks that come as the Islamic militant movement steps up a campaign of violence to disrupt presidential elections, which are due to be held in a week.
A spokesman for the Independent Election Commission said security already had been increased around the compound because an attack had been widely expected, and no casualties have been reported.
Explosions were heard when the attack started, according to the spokesman Noor Mohammed Noor, but he did not know what caused them.
Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir Zahir said three or four attackers were holed up in a neighboring house that had been empty when they occupied it. He said the house is about 800 meters (yards) away from the headquarters, which is inside a walled off compound guarded by a series of watch towers and checkpoints.
He said police were firing at the building from several directions and had the attackers contained.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack but described what would have been a much more ambitious assault, claiming a suicide bomber and gunmen had stormed the IEC compound. He said there was a meeting between the IEC and election observers, including foreigners, at the time of the attack.
The Taliban frequently exaggerate in their statements and a meeting could not immediately be confirmed.
