Kabul: Hours after the Indian Consulate was attacked in Aghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif, a heavy exchange of fire is taking place on Monday. Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha has tweeted that clearing operations being conducted in Mazar-e-Sharif and there is heavy exchange of fire.
"Clearing ops in Mazar on by special forces. Heavy fighting going on. GOV Atta personally monitoring. All safe in consulate," he tweeted.
Two gunmen had launched an attack on the Indian consulate in Afghanistan and were killed. It is likely that the terrorists used the building adjacent to the consulate which belongs to Afghan Uzbek leader Dostum to target the Indian Consulate. Dostum has been a Taliban target for long.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, which comes at a time when Afghan forces battle to end an hours-long siege near the Indian consulate in northern Mazar-i-Sharif city.
"A bomber on foot detonated his suicide vest near Kabul airport. There is no immediate information on casualties," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.
The spike in violence coincides with a renewed international push to revive peace talks with the resurgent Taliban.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to hold a first round of dialogue between Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China on January 11 to lay out a comprehensive roadmap for peace.
Pakistan, which wields considerable influence over the Afghan Taliban, hosted a milestone first round of talks in July but the negotiations stalled when the insurgents belatedly confirmed the death of long-time leader Mullah Omar.
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