Afghanistan

Taliban Continues Assault For Second Day

Worst attacks since 2001.

The Taliban edged on its Kandahar assault for a second day, after launching coordinated suicide and machine gun attacks. Two security personnel and three civilians have been killed, and 46 others have been injured. Police say they have killed 14 Taliban fighters, including some from Pakistan. Yesterday suicide bombers and militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades attacked government buildings and public areas. Today Governor Tooryalai Wesa, who earlier swore to kill the Taliban fighters “one by one,” said the insurgents were putting up heavy resistance, and explosions and heavy machine-gun fire could be heard in the city. The BBC's Bilal Sarwary says it's the worst attack in Kandahar since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, and an embarrassment for the Afghan government. The Taliban denied the attack was in response to bin Laden's death, saying it had been planned for some time.