Siege ends near India consulate in Afghanistan

Afghan officials say security forces have killed all four heavily armed assailants who have been holed up since Sunday night in a building near India's consulate in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told VOA at least one security personnel was killed and nine others were wounded fighting the attackers.

The standoff began Sunday evening after the gunmen tried to storm the Indian diplomatic mission by firing rockets at the facility before retreating into a nearby building, erupting an intense gun battle with Afghan security forces.

Officials say the men armed with rocket-propelled grenades and light weapons had engaged Afghan troops all night and the siege continued until Monday evening when members of the commando unit rappelled from helicopters onto the roof of the building and neutralized the threat.

No-one claimed responsibility for the consulate attack.

Source: MENA