Police surround district in Kabul after explosions

Heavy gunfire and explosions echoed through an upscale neighborhood in Afghanistan's capital late Tuesday night, as police surrounded a guesthouse popular with foreigners thought to be under attack by insurgents, the ABC News reported.

The firefight in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, which is home to several embassies, sounded to be focused on the Rabbani Guesthouse, with heavy explosions accompanying sporadic automatic weapon fire.

Police could not be immediately reached for comment, though officers could be seen blocking off roads into the area. Police officers later smashed lights throughout the upscale neighborhood to cover their movements.

Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Aub Salangi said a guesthouse appeared to be the target of the attack, without specifically naming the Rabbani. He said two attackers had been killed and that authorities didn't know how many were involved in the assault.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid intensified fighting across many parts of Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their warm weather offensive a month ago.

Earlier Tuesday, four militants launched the attack on the court in the capital of Wardak province, some 40 kilometers from Kabul, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor.