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Afghanistan: IS gunmen dressed as medics attack hospital
Afghan commandos were dropped onto the roof of the Sardar Daud hospital

Afghanistan: IS gunmen dressed as medics attack hospital

Attackers dressed as doctors have stormed the largest military hospital in Kabul, sparking a fierce gun battle, Afghan officials say.

At least three people have been killed but some reports suggest the final toll could be higher.

Afghan commandos who landed on the Sardar Daud hospital roof have now killed all the attackers, the interior ministry says.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) group has claimed the attack.

The Taliban has denied any role in the attack, local media reported.

President Ashraf Ghani said the attack at the 400-bed Sardar Daud hospital "trampled all human values".

"In all religions, a hospital is regarded as an immune site and attacking it is attacking the whole of Afghanistan," he said.

The attack began at 09:00 local time (04:30 GMT) when one militant blew himself up at the southern gate of the hospital - which is near the US embassy - and three other attackers entered the compound.

They entered the second and third floors of the hospital carrying small arms and hand grenades and began shooting.

One hospital staff member who was able to get out saw an attacker "wearing a white coat holding a Kalashnikov and opening fire on everyone, including the guards, patients and doctors".

One employee wrote on Facebook: "Attackers are inside the hospital. Pray for us."

TV pictures showed people hiding from the gunmen on ledges outside windows on upper floors of the building.

More than six hours after the attack began, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi tweeted that special forces had ended their operation and all the attackers were dead.

At least three dead people and more than 60 wounded, most of them hospital staff, have been taken to other hospitals, the health ministry and local media said.

Afghanistan's de-facto deputy leader Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attack on Twitter and vowed to "avenge the blood of our people".

IS has been active in Afghanistan since 2015 and has carried out a number of attacks.

It also claimed a suicide attack at Kabul's Supreme Court last month that killed 22 people.

The Taliban has also been carrying out attacks, killing 16 people in Kabul in suicide attacks a week ago, after beginning its Spring offensive early.

 

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