News - Afghanistan
Wednesday, 17 December 2014 15:28Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 December 2014 18:21Written by TOLOnews.com
Fighting inside the Lashkargah, Helmand New Kabul Bank branch ended with all five militants gunned down, at least seven people including security personnel killed and nine others wounded on Wednesday.
The clashes between the security forces and militants, which lasted for three hours, began around 11:30 a.m. after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance of the bank making way for other insurgents, governor's spokesman Omar Zwak said.
Six civilians and one security guard were killed and five other civilians and four security personnel were injured in the attack, Zwak added.
He expressed the attack occurred when a number of security personnel were present at the bank receiving their salaries.
Three hours later to the attack, another blast also happened close to the scene, injuring two people. The security officials said the explosives were placed inside a rickshaw.
The Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in a press conference in Kabul condemned the attack.
The Taliban, however, have not commented so far in this regard.
