The Taliban attempted an attack on the Afghanistan parliament in Kabul Monday, utilizing a suicide car bomber and multiple gunmen.
Afghan security forces were able to stop the attack, killing all seven gunmen. No members of parliament were hurt — lawmakers were meeting inside to try to confirm the appointment of a defense minister — though 31 civilians were wounded, Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ismail Kahousi said.
The attack first began with a car bomb explosion near the entrance to the parliament, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said. Gunmen then attempted to storm the compound but were pushed back by security forces and then eventually corralled into a building under construction nearby. All seven gunmen were then killed by police.
The Taliban claimed the attack in a statement to the media.
The attack comes after the Taliban seized two new districts: the Dashti Archi district and the Chardara district.
Afghan forces continue to struggle to fend off Taliban advances. Since the beginning of 2015 — U.S. and NATO ended its missions at the end of last year — more than 2,300 Afghan soldiers, police and pro-government figures have been killed, more than the total number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001.
President Ashraf Ghani and his election rival turned Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have also been fighting for months, which continues to delay the appointment of a defense minister and makes fighting the Taliban harder.
(h/t the Associated Press)
