Taliban Attack U.N. Affiliate’s Compound in Kabul, Testing Afghan Security Forces

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/25/world/asia/insurgents-attack-near-un-mission-in-kabul.html?ref=world

Taliban Attack U.N. Affiliate’s Compound in Kabul, Testing Afghan Security Forces
By ROD NORDLAND and SHARIFULLAH SAHAK
Published: May 24, 2013

KABUL, Afghanistan — In what appeared to be a concerted effort to test the capabilities of Afghan security forces in the capital, Taliban insurgents sought to penetrate the heavily fortified heart of Kabul on Friday, blasting their way into a residential compound of the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations-affiliated agency.

The Afghan forces managed to hold the attackers at bay, and hundreds of international agency employees in nearby compounds escaped harm. But at least four people were killed, including a six-year-old girl, and 13 others were wounded, including an Italian woman. And it took more than six hours for hundreds of Afghan police officers to subdue no more than six attackers with suicide vests, guns and grenade launchers.

Explosions continued through the night. The authorities said they were from booby traps the attackers had planted in the compound.

It was the first example of what the military calls a “complex attack,” involving both gunmen and suicide bombers, in the capital since insurgents attacked the headquarters of the unarmed traffic police force in January. It took Afghan forces nine hours to bring that to an end.