KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - insurgents launched an attack brazen on the Governor of Kandahar House compound on Saturday, with loud explosions heard in the city in Afghan South and at least three civilians injured as security forces battled armed men hidden in a shopping centre.
An explosion was heard near the Governor Tooryalai Wesa heavily guarded compound in the Centre of the city and another explosion was heard minutes later in the West of the city, a witness for Reuters and the official said.
Shooting broke out after the first explosion and Reuters witness said that he could see armed men take shopping centre compound of the Governor, where security forces returned fire as general expenses with helicopters.
"The Taliban attack compound of the Governor and the battles are continuing.". Three civilians in the compound were wounded, but the staff of the Governor is all end, "spokesman of the Wesa, Zalmai Ayoubi, said Reuters to compound."
It was not immediately clear what had caused the explosions. The Reuters witness said that he could see smoke black near compound of Wesa, which also surrounds the House of the Governor. Ayoubi, stated that the Governor was inside and unharmed.
The Taliban last week, announced the start of their "spring offensive", promising to intensify their attacks against foreign troops and the representatives of the Afghan Government. These threats were reissued after the assassination of the Allied al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in neighboring Pakistan.
A Taliban spokesman, said the militant group had carried out the attack but said it was unrelated to the death of Osama bin Laden.
"A number of fighters is in several places around the city." These are not attacks in retaliation for the death of Osama bin Laden but are part of our spring offensive, "Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told Reuters from an undisclosed location."
Kandahar, birthplace of the Taliban, has been the subject of military operations in the past year and military commanders have said they have made some progress in security, but that it was fragile and reversible.
Violence in Afghanistan reached its worst in 2010 levels, given that the Taliban were overthrown in late 2001, with record losses on all parties to the conflict.
Last month, hundreds of prisoners, especially the insurgents, escaped from a prison in Kandahar via a tunnel dug by militants, spokesman Taliban President Afghan Hamid Karzai, described as a "disaster" for the Government.
Days before, a suicide bomber wearing a uniform police killed Khan Mohammed Mujahid, Kandahar police chief GEN.
The Taliban have managed to achieve a number of attacks of prestige within the city of Kandahar and the capital, Kabul, more despite the Afghans and abroad of the past year forces strengthen security around these two cities.
The Taliban have issued a statement later Friday their condolences for the death of Ben Laden, who was killed in a raid of U.S. in Pakistan Monday, but said that his death would only revive their fight in Afghanistan.
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