Taliban attack in Kabul kills at least 20

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Taliban attack in Kabul kills at least 20
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, February 12, 2009

Taliban attackers stormed Justice Ministry buildings in Kabul Wednesday morning, highlighting the fragile security situation in Afghanistan and showing that militants can strike inside the capital as well as in the countryside.

The attackers, who fired automatic rifles and were reportedly wearing suicide bomb vests, killed at least 20 people and wounded 54 others, said Afghan security officials who described the attacks as "coordinated."

The incidents come as President Barack Obama is set to announce an expected increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and a day before a visit by Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Obama plans to nearly double the U.S. force in Afghanistan, with plans to deploy up to 30,000 troops this year.

At least eight attackers were killed, the officials said, though there were conflicting reports about whether any of the gunmen remained at large or escaped security forces.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60651