Daesh has claimed responsibility for an attack on a television station in Kabul, in which gunmen disguised as police killed a security guard and opened fire on staff in the latest assault on media workers in Afghanistan.
Afghan special forces suppressed the attack against Shamshad TV, a private Pashto-language broadcaster based near the national stadium, after about two hours, but police said at least two people were killed and 20 wounded.
“People dressed in police clothes came in and initially threw hand grenades, which killed one of our guards and wounded another,” Abed Ehsas, Shamshad’s news director told broadcaster Tolo News TV.
“After that, others got into our building and started firing. Some of our colleagues were hit, though, thank God, many others managed to get out. Some were wounded by gunshots, falling glass and when they jumped from high floors.”
During the attack, a special forces unit blasted a hole in the concrete wall around the compound and entered the site amid gunfire. At least one attacker was killed during the operation, while another was killed at the compound entrance.
Witnesses heard gunshots inside the building every few minutes as security forces swarmed the area, helping several employees escape the compound.
Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said as many as three attackers were involved in the assault.