KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) — Militant group Islamic State on Monday (July 31) claimed responsibility for an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul that began with a suicide bomber blowing himself up at the main gate, allowing gunmen to enter the building and battle security forces.
Police on the scene said the attackers appeared to have taken cover in the embassy building in a business district of the city, from where smoke could be seen rising.
Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish put the number of gunmen in the building at three. He said embassy personnel were safe, although embassy guards and nearby civilians might have suffered casualties.
Islamic State’s Amaq agency said two attackers had blown up the gate, killing seven guards, and two fighters had broken into the compound.
