...and the jihad continues...

Amidst the clamour of the death of bin-Laden, the global jihad goes on.  The goals never change and neither do the players.


From the BBC May 7

Afghanistan: Fierce fighting follows Kandahar attack 

Heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades have reportedly been used by both sides

 

Intense fighting has taken place in Afghanistan's second city of Kandahar amid co-ordinated militant attacks, including at least six suicide bombs.

The Taliban said it was behind the triple assault on the provincial governor's office, the Afghan spy agency and a police station.

At least two people were killed and 23 injured in the fighting, which spread panic on the streets.

One official linked the attack to the recent escape of hundreds of prisoners.

Gunmen in a four-storey shopping centre exchanged fire with security forces in a compound belonging to Governor Tooryalai Wesa.

"This clearly was intended to be a spring offensive spectacular attack which was thwarted by Afghan National Security Forces," said US Marine Maj-Gen James Laster, a spokesman for the international coalition in Afghanistan.

Firing continued until late on Saturday, but officials told Reuters news agency that this was mainly from clearing operations.

 

Paralysed city

Earlier, a spokesman for the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security, told the BBC the attack on the governor's compound was now over and two Taliban fighters had died.

He added: "But they are still attacking my office from a nearby Kandahar hotel. Fighting is still intense.

"They are using heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and AKs [AK-47s].

"The Taliban could use the cover of darkness to launch more attacks.

"They planned this well in advance. They wanted to take control of government offices and take senior Afghan officials hostage.''

There were at least seven explosions, paralysing the city, says the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul.

At least two suicide bombers who tried to attack police were shot dead before they could reach their targets.

Witnesses described civilians running through the streets for safety and shopkeepers closing their stores in case of looting.

Military helicopters were hovering above the city.

"Forget human, even the birds have fled the city," a shopkeeper in Kandahar's Chowke Madad district told our correspondent.

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