The US Embassy in Kabul was hit by indirect fire before dawn on Christmas Day but no Americans were hurt, as attacks elsewhere in Afghanistan killed at least six people Wednesday, officials said.
Two rounds struck the sprawling embassy compound but it was not immediately clear which part of the complex, a US Embassy official said the incident was under investigation. Indirect fire can refer to either mortars or rockets.
“At approximately 6:40am local time, approximately two rounds of indirect fire impacted the US Embassy compound,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. “All Americans are accounted for and no injuries were sustained.”
The Taliban promptly claimed they fired four rockets at the American Embassy on Wednesday and claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties.
Elsewhere, an Afghan official said a bicycle-bomb was remotely detonated in front of a restaurant at a bazaar in Puli Alam, the capital of Logar province, 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of Kabul, killing six people and wounding 13.
“Two of the killed were policemen and four were civilians,” said Abdul Wali Tofan, the deputy police chief of Logar. He said the attack also wounded 13 civilians, including several children.
Earlier in the day, a roadside bombing in eastern Kabul wounded three Afghan policemen. Kabul Police Chief Muhammad Zahir said one suspect was arrested over that attack.
Police later uncovered an unexploded bomb in the same area and successfully neutralised it, Zahri said.
Afghan militants have increased attacks on US forces and offices included Afghan military and government agencies in recent months, intensifying a campaign to regain territory as foreign forces draw down ahead of full withdrawal at the end of 2014.
