Taliban attacks German consulate

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Germany’s consulate in northern Afghanistan was attacked late Thursday when a suicide car bomber rammed the compound, a senior police official said.

The car exploded at the gate of the consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif city, destroying the gate and wall around 11.10 p.m. local time, said Abdul Raziq Qaderi, head of security for Balkh province. He said three police were wounded.

The Taliban issued a statement saying they had sent suicide attackers to the consulate.

Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the police chief of Balkh province, said early today that a gun battle was going on at the consulate.

The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement there was an “armed attack” on the consulate but didn’t specify the nature of the attack or mention any casualties.

The statement said there had been fighting outside and on the grounds of the consulate and that Afghan security forces and troops from the international Resolute Support mission were at the scene.

Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital of Balkh province and one of the most important cities in the country.

Germany has 983 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh, as part of NATO’s Resolute Support mission.