BY:SCOTT LUO/AUG 19 ,2011
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Explosions and heavy automatic gunfire were heard hours after well-armed suicide bombers attacked the British Council in the Afghan capital on Friday, leaving at least eight people dead, officials said.
White smoke billowed from a building in the compound for a time, but it was not immediately clear what prompted the outburst.
Meanwhile, heavily-armed British and Afghan security forces cordoned off the area in the center of the capital, establishing a perimeter around the buildings.
The attacks occurred inside a well-guarded Kabul neighborhood, leaving at least another 10 people wounded, the Afghan interior ministry said.
The strike, which the Taliban has claimed responsibility for, also coincides with the 92nd anniversary of Afghan independence from Great Britain.
In the first attack, a militant drove a vehicle packed with explosives toward the Council's main security gate before detonating the device, according to Afghan police spokesman Hashamap Stanikzai.
The second man then attempted to enter the compound wearing a vest filled with explosives. He also detonated himself, Stanikzai said.
Police say at least one militant has been killed in a fire-fight with security forces.
Gunfire could be heard throughout the incident, and military helicopters circled overhead.
The British Council is a British government-affiliated body that fosters cultural and academic exchanges in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, an embassy spokesman said British government personnel are coordinating with Afghan authorities to secure the area.
The strike occurred not far from the Intercontinental Hotel, the scene of another insurgent attack in June against a high-profile western target.
News from:http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/08/19/afghanistan.bombing/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
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