Taliban Attacks Afghan Military, Kills 13

Taliban suicide squads launched two attacks against Afghan security forces today, killing 13. At least four suicide bombers dressed in Afghan army uniforms stormed a recruitment center in Kunduz, setting it on fire amidst a lengthy gun battle. “There are gun shots, heavy machine guns fire and RPGs,” one local trader told the BBC. Meanwhile, several other attackers opened fire on an army bus outside of Kabul.

Security officers from a nearby checkpoint rushed to help the bus, shooting down one of the attackers before another detonated his explosives. The Taliban is clearly trying to discourage Afghans from joining the security forces, BBC correspondents say. The attack stunned locals in Kunduz. “How did Taliban attackers on motorbikes manage to get into the heart of this city? This is not a remote district,” one shopkeeper said. “The police must have been asleep.” (More Afghanistan stories.)