Afghanistan: Taliban militants attack Kabul election office

Militants stormed a local election commission office in the Darul Aman area of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday morning, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry said. Two explosions have occurred in the area and a gun battle between the attackers and Afghan security forces is still going on, spokesman Sediq Sidiqqi said. It's not yet clear how many assailants are involved. "We still cannot provide details on casualties. There is fear of possible casualties, both civilian and police," he tweeted. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes less than two weeks before Afghanistan holds presidential elections. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in an e-mail that the group's armed suicide attackers had managed to enter the election commission office after causing a large explosion. The election commission office is near the home of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani, but his house did not appear to be the target of the attack. He was campaigning in eastern Paktia province Tuesday. The Taliban has vowed to use force to disrupt the presidential election to be held on April 5. The group also claimed an attack last week on the central Serena Hotel in which nine people died, some of them Afghan and some foreigners. Six people were also injured. Among those killed were Sardar Ahmad, a senior reporter for the Agence France-Presse news agency, his wife and two of his three young children.