Image copyright EPA Image caption Loud blasts were heard, followed by several hours of fighting

Militants have fired mortars at the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital Kabul during a speech by the president to mark a Muslim holiday.

President Ashraf Ghani was speaking live on television to celebrate Eid al-Adha when explosions were heard near the presidential palace.

A combat helicopter later fired on a building where militants were believed to have taken up position.

Mr Ghani's call for an Eid ceasefire was rejected by the Taliban on Monday.

As troops secured the area targeted, it was still not clear who had fired the mortars or how many attackers were involved.

After several hours officials said all the attackers had been killed. Four other people were wounded, two of them security personnel.

Separately, officials said the Taliban had released more than 160 bus passengers kidnapped a day earlier in the north. At least 20 soldiers and policemen were still being held.

Militants from both the Taliban and Islamic State group have carried out attacks in Afghanistan this month that left hundreds of people reported dead.

Where were the mortars launched from?

A Kabul police chief told the BBC that three attackers armed with a heavy machine gun and a mortar had broken into a building behind Kabul's Eid Gah Mosque.

According to the police chief, the attackers first used the mortar against the presidential palace.

At least 10 explosions were heard in the background as President Ghani was delivering his Eid message. Television images showed dark smoke rising into the sky.

Security forces then exchanged fire with militants in the building.

How bad is the violence?

The Taliban have launched several attacks in recent weeks.

The largest was an assault on the city of Ghazni, east of Kabul, which sparked a five-day battle with government forces that left hundreds dead or wounded. The UN has warned that up to 150 civilians may have been killed.

The attacks come as pressure continues on the Taliban to enter peace talks with the Afghan government.

Secret talks were recently held in Qatar between Taliban and US officials after an unprecedented three-day ceasefire during Eid al-Fitr celebrations in June that was largely respected by both sides.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan -- Rockets were fired toward the presidential palace in Kabul on Tuesday as the Afghan president was delivering his holiday message for the Muslim celebrations of Eid al-Adha, police said. Only two people were reportedly hospitalized with injuries from the attack.

 

 The first rocket landed somewhere near the presidency, the second near a NATO compound and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul but no one was hurt, said police official Jan Agha.

 

 The boom of the rockets was heard in the live broadcast of President Ashraf Ghani's speech. As he also heard the thud, Ghani interrupted his message to say: "If they are thinking the rocket attack will keep Afghans down, they are wrong."



 

 There was no immediate statement from the Taliban, or a claim of responsibility for the attack by any other militant group, but the assault on the major Muslim holiday sent a stark message.

 

 The area where the rockets hit is one of the most secure in the heavily fortified part of Kabul, where embassies and Afghan government buildings are surrounded by high cement blast walls and coils of razor wire. Many streets near the U.S. Embassy are closed off, as well as those near sensitive government and military locations.

 

 Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzia said Afghan police had noticed a suspicious vehicle earlier on Tuesday morning and followed it to a house near the sprawling Eid Gah mosque where hundreds had gathered to offer their prayers for the Eid al-Adha holiday.

 

 Once inside the house, the suspects are believed to have fired the rockets, Stanekzia told The Associated Press. A helicopter gunship was called in and bombed the location, destroying the house and the vehicle.

 

 Eyewitnesses at the scene said that after the explosions, sporadic shooting could be heard from the area though it wasn't clear who was firing. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity fearing for their safety.</s>A military helicopter flies over the site of an attack in Kabul

Kabul garrison commander General Murad Ali Murad said at least 20 rockets were fired by the insurgents toward the city's diplomatic quarter on Tuesday.

The militants, who took refuge inside a house in a neighbourhood in eastern Kabul, were killed by police special units after hours of fighting.

Hashmat Stanakzai, a spokesman for the Kabul police, had earlier said that between four and six attackers were inside the building in the east of the city, and security forces were preparing to clear it.

The rocket firing took place during the first day of Eid Al Adha, the feast of sacrifice, the holiest festival in the Islamic calendar.

Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the rocket launcher had been destroyed by security forces, who were searching for the perpetrators.

The rockets hit the diplomatic quarter as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was giving a speech to commemorate the first day of Eid.

Daesh militants claimed responsibility for the attack saying their fighters had targeted the Afghan presidential palace.

The attack came as the “Taliban” were yet to respond to an offer by Ghani for a conditional three-month ceasefire that was announced on Sunday.</s>Military helicopters were firing above a mosque in Kabul's old quarter Tuesday as officials said fighting had broken out between security forces and militants in the Afghan capital, with a barrage of rockets striking the city.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the assault, which came as President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech marking the first day of the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday, days after offering the Taliban a conditional three-month ceasefire.

An Afghan army helicopter swooped in low over the street near the Eidgah Mosque in a central district of the city and fired a rocket on a militant position, sending a plume of dust into the sky.

Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed that militants had taken over a building near the mosque and fired several rockets.

"Two people have been wounded. Security forces are fighting the terrorists," he told AFP.

People who moments earlier had been buying livestock for the Eid feast could be seen sprinting for shelter as cars swerved in the road to flee the fighting. Blasts and gunfire could be heard as security forces cordoned off the area.

The attackers appeared to be in a building behind the mosque, which was partially destroyed in another attack several years earlier and is not believed to have been in use for Eid.

A heavy security presence could also be seen near the Kabul Stadium.

Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said fighting began around 9:00 am, and that multiple rockets had been fired on at least two areas of Kabul. He said he could not confirm casualties yet.

"Some attackers have taken a position behind the Eidgah mosque of Kabul city. The police forces are at the scene, and the area is blocked by forces. An operation has been launched to arrest or gun them down," he said.

The mosque is located relatively near the presidential palace, where Ghani was speaking. The sound of a blast could be heard in the background as his speech was aired live on Facebook.

Ghani unveiled the government's latest ceasefire gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated.

The truce offer was welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war, but the Taliban have yet to respond.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, with estimates suggesting hundreds of people may have been killed.</s>Kabul attack over with killing of two militants

KABUL: An hours-long attack in the Afghan capital ended on Tuesday after two militants were killed and at least six people were injured in a clearance operation, the military said.

“Two attackers were involved. The enemy was firing mortars,” General Murad Ali Murad, commander of Kabul's garrison, told a press conference. Multiple rockets hit near the diplomatic area in the Afghan capital, Kabul earlier today as officials said fighting broke out between security forces and militants in the city's old quarter.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the assault, which came as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech marking the first day of the Eidul Azha, days after offering the Taliban a conditional three-month ceasefire.

An Afghan army helicopter swooped in low over the street near the Eidgah Mosque in a central district of the city and fired a rocket on a militant position, sending a plume of dust into the sky. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed that militants had taken over a building near the mosque and fired several rockets. “Two people have been wounded. Security forces are fighting the terrorists,” he said.

People who moments earlier had been buying livestock for the Eid feast could be seen sprinting for shelter as cars swerved in the road to flee the fighting. Blasts and gunfire could be heard as security forces cordoned off the area.

The attackers appeared to be in a building behind the mosque, which was partially destroyed in another attack several years earlier and is not believed to have been in use for Eid.

A heavy security presence could also be seen near the Kabul Stadium.

Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said fighting began around 9:00 am, and that multiple rockets had been fired on at least two areas of Kabul. He said he could not confirm casualties as yet.

“Some attackers have taken a position behind the Eidgah mosque of Kabul city. The police forces are at the scene, and the area is blocked by forces. An operation has been launched to arrest or gun the attackers down,” he said.

The mosque is located relatively near the presidential palace, where Ghani was speaking. The sound of a blast could be heard in the background as his speech was aired live on Facebook.

Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the rocket attack near the Afghan presidential palace, stating that targeting innocent people on the religious feast "depicts a defeated mindset".

The prime minister expressed his complete support to the Afghan government as well as Afghan people.

Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office had also denounced the attack.

FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal had taken to Twitter to say: "Pakistan condemns reports of attacks at the Afghan presidential palace. Such incidents, especially at the joyous occasion of Eid, are more reprehensible."</s>KABUL:Rockets were fired towards the presidential palace in Kabul as the Afghan president delivered a message of peace for the Eid al-Adha, with helicopter gunships destroying buildings from where the projectiles were launched.

An official at the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan said nine attackers launched about 30 mortar rounds from two separate locations in Kabul. It was unclear who carried out the attack. Police initially blamed the Taliban, but Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) later issued a statement saying it fired mortars at the presidential palace. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban. The mortar barrage came two days after President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban a three-month ceasefire.

The boom of the rockets was heard in the live broadcast of Ghani’s speech. He interrupted his message to say: “If they are thinking the rocket attack will keep Afghans down, they are wrong.”The area where the rockets struck is one of the most secure in the Afghan capital, where embassies and government buildings are surrounded by high cement blast walls and coils of razor wire.

Afghan police cordoned off two locations and military helicopters destroyed two firing positions. “In total four of the nine insurgents were killed. The other five insurgents surrendered to Afghan forces,” US Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Martin O’Donnell said in a statement.

Analyst Nazar Sarmachar said the proximity of the attack to the presidential palace highlighted glaring security shortcomings in the capital. “It could have killed or wounded the president,” he said.

Police were combing the area in the heart of Kabul, where crowded open-air markets intrude on old residential areas of mostly poor, mud-brick homes. It was another blow to Ghani’s efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table and hold peace talks to end the country’s 17-year war.

Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday the Taliban accepted an invitation to attend peace talks in Moscow next month. Sergey Lavrov said Russia invited the Taliban to the September 4 talks and received a positive response, voicing hope for “productive” negotiations. Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s contacts with the Taliban aim to ensure the safety of Russian citizens in Afghanistan and encourage the Taliban to abandon hostilities and engage in a dialogue with the government.

The Taliban have stepped up attacks in recent months, seizing rural districts and carrying out major assaults against security forces and government compounds on an almost daily basis.

Two Taliban commanders said their leader had rejected Ghani’s offer of a three-month ceasefire, beginning with this week’s Eid, Reuters reported.</s>KABUL: Fighting broke out between militants and security forces in Kabul’s old quarter, with several missiles hitting various parts of the city.

It is currenly being speculated who initiated the incident. An Afghan military helicopter targetted militants in an Eidgah Mosque in central Kabul. The fighting began as President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech marking the first day of Eid-ul-Adha.

Najib Danish, Interior Ministry Spokesman confirmed that militants had taken over a nearby building, firing rockets. Security forces have cordoned off the area as people fled to safety.

He also confirmed that 2 people have been injured in the clash. The building taken over by militants is not far from the Presidential palace.

The blasts were audible in the President’s speech which was aired live on social media. President Ghani offered a conditional ceasefire to militants on the country’s independance day on Sunday. He added that the ceasefire was condition “provided that the Taliban reciprocate.”

READ MORE: Deteriorating situation and way forward for Afghanistan</s>Smoke rises from the site of an attack in Kabul

Hashmat Stanakzai, a spokesman for Kabul police, said that between four and six attackers were inside the building in the city's east and security forces were preparing to clear the building.

The Afghan Public Health Ministry said at least two people were hurt in the attack.

The rocket firing took place during the first day of Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice.

Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the rocket launcher had been destroyed by security forces, who were searching for the perpetrators.

The rockets hit the diplomatic quarter as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was giving a speech to commemorate the first day of Eid.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.</s>Afghan security forces battled militants in Kabul’s old quarter Tuesday, with military helicopters firing above a mosque to quell an assault that was launched with a rocket barrage against the capital.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the assault, which came as President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech marking the first day of the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday, days after offering the Taliban a conditional three-month ceasefire.

An Afghan army helicopter swooped in low over the street near the Eidgah Mosque in a central district of the city and fired a rocket on a militant position, sending a plume of dust into the sky.

People who moments earlier had been buying livestock for the Eid feast could be seen sprinting for shelter as cars swerved in the road to flee the fighting. Blasts and gunfire could be heard as security forces cordoned off the area.

The mosque is near the presidential palace where Ghani was making his speech, which was being aired live on Facebook when the attack began.

The president can be seen pausing as multiple blasts are heard in the background, some sounding nearby, before stating: "This nation is not going to bow to these rocket attacks."

The attackers appeared to be in a building behind the mosque, which was partially destroyed in another attack several years earlier and is not believed to have been in use for Eid.

Police said the fighting began around 9:00 am, after multiple rockets struck in at least two areas of Kabul. Footage aired live on broadcaster Tolo News showed dark black smoke emanating from the area near the mosque while fire trucks and security vehicles rushed to the scene.

Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said police believe at least four militants are involved in the assault. "An operation has been launched to arrest or gun them down," he told AFP.

Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed that militants had taken over a building near the mosque and fired several rockets.

"Two people have been wounded. Security forces are fighting the terrorists," he told AFP.

Danish later told Tolo that the militants were using rocket propelled grenades and mortars to target parts of the city.

"Choppers are flying over the site and the security forces are busy defusing two explosive-packed vehicles at the site that the terrorist wanted to detonate," wrote interior ministry communications chief Bahar Mehr on Facebook.

A heavy security presence could also be seen near the Kabul Stadium.

Ghani unveiled the government's latest ceasefire gambit during an Independence Day address late Sunday, saying security forces would observe the truce beginning this week -- but only if the militants reciprocated.

The truce offer was welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war, though it was not clear if their forces in Afghanistan would also participate.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to Ghani's proposal, but have vowed to release "hundreds" of "enemy prisoners" to mark the Eid holiday, which began in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

It was not clear which prisoners they were referring to.

The move followed an extraordinarily violent week in Afghanistan that saw that Taliban storm the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul -- and press the fight against security forces across the country, with estimates suggesting hundreds of people may have been killed.

Analysts were mixed over Ghani's proposal, with some saying the government's move was a sign of desperation after recent heavy bloodshed, while others said the trust-building measure was integral to paving the way for negotiations.

It came after an initial ceasefire in June, the first such truce since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

For just three days thousands of insurgents poured into cities across Afghanistan, eating ice cream and posing for selfies with security forces to celebrate.

The brief respite spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to end the nearly 17-year-old war.</s>Militants have fired rockets at the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital Kabul during a speech by the president to mark a Muslim holiday.

President Ashraf Ghani was speaking live on television to celebrate Eid al-Adha when explosions were heard, some of them near the presidential palace.

Smoke and helicopters could be seen above the Reka Khana district, an AFP news agency photographer said.

Mr Ghani's call for an Eid ceasefire was rejected by Taliban militants.

As troops secured the area targeted, it was still not clear who had fired the rockets or if any casualties had been caused.
Mortars are fired at the diplomatic quarter of Kabul during a speech by President Ashraf Ghani. After several hours of fighting, including a helicopter attack on a building behind the Id Gah Mosque, police say the attackers are dead and four people are wounded.