FOXNews.com: Afghan militants attack US consulate

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Afghan militants attack US consulate Sep 13th 2013, 09:15 Taliban militants detonated two suicide bombs and then engaged in a gunfight with security forces near the American consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat early Friday. The Associated Press reported that two Afghan security forces were killed, as were five of the attackers, while several other people, including police, were wounded.  The U.S. said all its personnel from the consulate in the city of Herat were safe and American forces later moved into the area to secure the site. U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement that the assault began around 5:30 a.m., when "a truck carrying attackers drove to the front gate, and attackers -- possibly firing rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles -- starting firing at Afghan forces and security guards on the exterior of the gates. Shortly after, the entire truck exploded, extensively damaging the front gate." Harf confirmed that the attack ended after Afghan security forces took control of the outside of the Consulate and that there were no American casualties. It was not entirely clear whether any attackers managed to breach the facility. According to Afghan officials, the attack in Herat started with the Taliban setting off two bombs -- one in an SUV and the other in an explosives-laden small van -- while militants on foot opened a firefight with Afghan security forces around the compound in the city, 1,000 kilometers from Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which underscored the perilous security situation in Afghanistan, where U.S.-led troops are reducing their presence ahead of a full withdrawal planned for next year. The insurgent strikes are no longer concentrated in the country's south and east, but occur with troubling frequency in the north and west, which have been the more peaceful areas in years past. A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Kabul declined immediate comment, but an International Security Assistance Force spokesperson told Fox News that Afghan National Security Forces were on the scene. Gen. Rahmatullah Safi, chief of police in Herat province, initially said an Afghan translator who apparently worked for the consulate died in the attack, but later said that victim was more likely a private security guard working at the compound. An Afghan police officer also was killed, while an unclear number of police, guards and civilians were wounded. Safi said four militants were killed during the assault, as was the suicide car bomber, but the situation was under control around an hour after the start of the attack. Robert Hilton, a U.S. Embassy spokesman, said that he had no information about a translator among the victims and that "all consulate personnel are safe and accounted for." He declined to comment on Safi's statement that U.S. Special Forces were combing the area. Herat lies near Afghanistan's border with Iran and is considered one of the better developed cities in the country, with a strong Iranian influence. The U.S. consulate is located in a relatively sparsely populated part of the city, and the attack took place on Friday, a day of rest in the country. The Taliban strike was, nonetheless, a stark reminder of the challenges facing Afghanistan in the wake of a rare moment of national unity and joy. On Wednesday and Thursday, Afghans of all ethnicities and ages had poured into the streets to celebrate the national soccer team's 2-0 defeat of India in the South Asian Football Federation Championship. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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