Insurgents attack US consulate in western Afghanistan

Heavily armed gunmen in suicide vests detonated a truck bomb outside the US consulate in the Afghan city of Herat today, sparking a shootout with American forces, officials said.

US State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said that there were no American casualties in the attack and the US embassy in Kabul confirmed on Twitter that the consulate staff were safe and accounted for.

Herat, in western Afghanistan near the Iranian border, is considered to be one of the least volatile cities in Afghanistan, where the Taliban are fighting a 12-year insurgency.

The front gate of the US consulate was “extensively” damaged, Harf told reporters.

Afghan officials said at least one person had been killed and 18 others wounded. Four Afghan policemen were among the wounded, Herat hospital spokesman Mohammad Rafiq Sherzai said.

The US State Department said the attack started at 5:30 a.m. when the gunmen, dressed in suicide vests, drove up to the front gate in a truck, opened fire and then detonated the truck bomb.

American and contracted security personnel reacted to the attack but the assault is over, Harf said.

“It appears American and contract security personnel addressed any attackers who managed to enter the compound,” she added, giving no further details.

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