Norwegian soldiers assisted Afghan security forces during IS attacks

Afghan security personnelAfghan security personnel arrive at the site of complex attack at an intelligence training center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. An Afghan official says an attack is underway in the country's capital where gunmen have raided and occupied a partially constructed building near the intelligence training center in western Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Norwegian soldiers stationed in Kabul aided the Afghan security forces on Monday morning when a training camp in the city was attacked by IS.

– The operation has ended. The Norwegians are back in their camp and no Norwegians were injured during the attack, says communications chief Ivar Moen at the Armed Forces operating headquarters (FOH) to VG in the 14th of Monday.

At 10 o’clock, local time, the first reports came that a training camp in Kabul was under attack. The attackers had been been wearing police uniforms when they launched the assault against the camp, run under the auspices of the country’s intelligence service and located in the area of Afshar west of the capital.

Two killed, and two wounded
The attackers got into an empty building where they barricaded themselves and started shooting. There the  attackers went into combat with the security forces, who needed reinforcements.

The building and the rest of the training center were then surrounded. Explosions and shots were heard from both heavy and light weaponry, stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Najib Danish.

– The attack has ended. Two attackers were killed and only two police were injured, said Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid about five hours after the first reports of the attack .

He stated that no civilians were killed or injured in the attack.

Moen i FOH will not tell VG about how many Norwegian soldiers assisted the Afghan forces, nor whether the Norwegian forces participated actively in the battle.

– Turned to the intelligence center
A few hours after the first reports of the attack had become known, IS claimed responsibility.

– Two IS assailants attacked the Afghan intelligence center in Kabul, it was said in a message from the IS communication vehicle Amaq.

The Afghan capital has previously been the scene of a series of terrorist attacks by militant Islamists. In mid-November, 14 people were killed in a suicide attack that IS assumed responsibility for.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today

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