At Least Two Killed in Taliban Attack on Kabul Parliament
KABUL, Afghanistan, June 22 (UPI) — The parliament building in Kabul, Afghanistan, was attacked by the Taliban on Monday, killing at least one woman, one child and injuring at least 40 civilians.
The attack began with a large suicide car bomb explosion outside the parliament compound gates. Six gunmen then entered the compound and attempted to enter the parliament building, but were held off by security forces.
The gunmen entered a building under construction next to parliament. A gunbattle raged for nearly an hour before all six gunmen were killed.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, stating it launched the attack to coincide with the appearance of Afghanistan’s new defense minister Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai in parliament. No members of parliament were injured.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the attack.
“The attack against Parliament, for which the Taliban have claimed responsibility, is a clear and deliberate affront to democracy in Afghanistan — An attack against the Afghan peoples’ democratically elected representatives,” Tadamichi Yamamoto, the deputy special representative for Afghanistan, said.
