Nine dead in Taliban attack on Kabul British Council office

At least eight Afghan police and one foreigner are belived to have been killed after five bomb blasts and a four-hour gunbattle at the British Council in Kabul. The UK Foreign Office said Friday morning (UK time) that all British nationals involved were safe. 

Reuters/Ahmad Masood

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying that they came on the country’s “independence day from Britain”. Friday is a public holiday which marks the end of the third Anglo-Afghan war in 1919, finishing British domination of the country’s foreign policy.

A rebel spokesperson said that a UN guesthouse was also targeted but the UN denied any of its sites was affected.

The Afghanistan British Council’s website says it concentrates on teaching English to Afghans.

One or two foreigners are reported to have been killed or wounded in the fighting.

British government offices in Afghanistan’s capital are often guarded by Nepali former Ghurka soldiers employed by private security firms.

Afghan, British, French and US forces took part in the counterattack.