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Taliban launches suicide attack on Afghan parliament

Jane Onyanga-Omara, and Jim Michaels
USA TODAY

The Taliban launched a suicide bombing and gunfire attack outside the Afghan parliament in Kabul on Monday that left two people dead and over two dozen injured.

Kabul Police Chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said a suicide bomber detonated a car laden with explosives outside the parliament, causing "considerable" damage to other cars and nearby buildings, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported.

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said all seven attackers were killed by special forces.

A woman and a 10-year-old girl were killed and 31 civilians were injured.

The incident happened around 10.30 a.m. local time.

The independent Pajhwok news agency reported that eyewitnesses said that attackers climbed onto the roof of a nearby building under construction, before firing at the parliament building.

In a statement, the Taliban said it carried out a suicide bombing outside the parliament.

The Khaama Press news agency reported that TV footage showed members of parliament leaving the lower house of parliament. Member of parliament Harif Rahmani said that lawmakers were reported to have no serious injuries.

He added that heavy security prevented the gunmen from entering the building, and that parliament security fought the attackers off for more than 20 minutes before security forces arrived.

Parliament was warned a few days ago that they would come under attack Rahmani said.

The attack on the parliament will probably damage the prospects for peace talks between the government and the Taliban, analysts say.

"Opposition to a peace deal will only increase after this attack," said Omar Hamid, an analyst at IHS, a consultant firm, in a report.

The attack also comes as U.S. forces have withdrawn combat forces from Afghanistan and remain in an advise-and-support role. The Taliban have remained powerful in the countryside, but have limited capabilities in the capital Kabul.

"The attack on parliament shows blatant disrespect for democracy and the rule of law," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.

The attack came as the parliament was meeting to confirm a new defense minister, a significant development in the formation of a unity government headed by President Ashraf Ghani and chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.

The nominee for the defense ministter post, Masoom Stanekzai, was an adviser to former President Hamid Karzai. He was also a member of the high peace council, which sought reconciliation with the Taliban.

His appointment ended months of political stalemate and uncertainty at a time when the Taliban have been making headway in parts of the country.

Onyanga-Omara reported from London; Michaels in Washington

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