Armed Afghan police stand guard outside the Independent Election Commission headquarters after Saturday's attack by insurgents. Photograph: Ahmad Masood/REUTERS
Taliban fighters who were disguised under burqas stormed the heavily fortified headquarters of Afghan election organisers on Saturday – the second suicide attack in Kabul in less than 24 hours, as the country prepares for a crucial but much threatened election.
At least three men took over a campaign office of the presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai, and used it to fire guns and rocket-propelled grenades over the security forces protecting the Independent Election Commission.
Staff quickly took shelter in bunkers. Although the attack lasted five hours, shut down the city's airport and damaged a UN compound, the only reported deaths were of the gunmen.
"No one was killed, only two national police wounded," said Hashmat Stanikzai, spokesman for the city's police chief. "There were three attackers wearing burqas, they entered the building close to the election commission at 12.30pm and fighting finished around 5.30pm."
One building caught fire, but as ballots for the 5 April presidential election had already been sent out to provincial centres, the poll will not be affected, said IEC spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor. "No one was harmed, and the material burned was non-essential. "If the vote goes smoothly, it will pave the way for the country's first peaceful, democratic transition of power. The Taliban have denounced the poll as a sham, have promised to disrupt voting day, and warned that anyone who works on the election or casts a ballot is putting their life at risk. Following the warning, the last week has seen an intense campaign of violence, centred around Kabul but claiming lives across the country.
The capital alone has endured a shooting rampage at a high-end hotel, a standoff at a regional election headquarters, and an attack on a guest-house for foreign aid workers. More than a dozen people have been killed, including young children, and many more injured.
But although the bloodshed will keep some potential voters away, other Afghans say that the Taliban's assaults, mostly on civilian targets with no connection to the election, have made them more determined to cast a ballot.
The journalist Mohsin Jamal wrote on Twitter: "To Taliban: Although I have no favourite candidates, but I'll vote. Because you have promised to hinder the elections, I promise to vote."
Voter registration centres, another potential target, have been crammed with people seizing their last chance to secure a voter identity card. Queuing started long before dawn, with the young and old, wealthy professionals and day labourers all lining up.
Saturday's attack was an ambitious attempt to disrupt the nerve centre of the vote. Long recognised as being a high-profile target, the election headquarters is on a spacious plot at the outskirts of the city and has layers of military-style security. Visitors must be on a list, and pass through multiple checkpoints manned by different forces to get near its offices.
Hundreds of people were stranded at the airport a few kilometres away, as air traffic control decided that it was not safe in the circumstances for aircraft to take off and land.
Many of those trying to leave were people unnerved by the string of violent attacks, but by early evening planes were landing and taking off again, with life elsewhere in Kabul returning to normal.
"Of course, these attacks have a negative impact, but we are used to this," said 30-year-old mechanic Rahimaullah. "We have to select a new president, so we have someone to stop the suicide attackers. The people will vote and do their job."
At least three men took over a campaign office of the presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai, and used it to fire guns and rocket-propelled grenades over the security forces protecting the Independent Election Commission.
Staff quickly took shelter in bunkers. Although the attack lasted five hours, shut down the city's airport and damaged a UN compound, the only reported deaths were of the gunmen.
"No one was killed, only two national police wounded," said Hashmat Stanikzai, spokesman for the city's police chief. "There were three attackers wearing burqas, they entered the building close to the election commission at 12.30pm and fighting finished around 5.30pm."
One building caught fire, but as ballots for the 5 April presidential election had already been sent out to provincial centres, the poll will not be affected, said IEC spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor. "No one was harmed, and the material burned was non-essential. "If the vote goes smoothly, it will pave the way for the country's first peaceful, democratic transition of power. The Taliban have denounced the poll as a sham, have promised to disrupt voting day, and warned that anyone who works on the election or casts a ballot is putting their life at risk. Following the warning, the last week has seen an intense campaign of violence, centred around Kabul but claiming lives across the country.
The capital alone has endured a shooting rampage at a high-end hotel, a standoff at a regional election headquarters, and an attack on a guest-house for foreign aid workers. More than a dozen people have been killed, including young children, and many more injured.
But although the bloodshed will keep some potential voters away, other Afghans say that the Taliban's assaults, mostly on civilian targets with no connection to the election, have made them more determined to cast a ballot.
The journalist Mohsin Jamal wrote on Twitter: "To Taliban: Although I have no favourite candidates, but I'll vote. Because you have promised to hinder the elections, I promise to vote."
Voter registration centres, another potential target, have been crammed with people seizing their last chance to secure a voter identity card. Queuing started long before dawn, with the young and old, wealthy professionals and day labourers all lining up.
Saturday's attack was an ambitious attempt to disrupt the nerve centre of the vote. Long recognised as being a high-profile target, the election headquarters is on a spacious plot at the outskirts of the city and has layers of military-style security. Visitors must be on a list, and pass through multiple checkpoints manned by different forces to get near its offices.
Hundreds of people were stranded at the airport a few kilometres away, as air traffic control decided that it was not safe in the circumstances for aircraft to take off and land.
Many of those trying to leave were people unnerved by the string of violent attacks, but by early evening planes were landing and taking off again, with life elsewhere in Kabul returning to normal.
"Of course, these attacks have a negative impact, but we are used to this," said 30-year-old mechanic Rahimaullah. "We have to select a new president, so we have someone to stop the suicide attackers. The people will vote and do their job."
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