German consulate in Afghanistan attacked; Taliban claim responsibility
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An Afghan official says the German consulate in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif has come under attack.
More on tonight's #Taliban attack on the German consulte in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan https://t.co/LjQzCU3SY8 pic.twitter.com/RaahDOYUIH
— dwnews (@dwnews) November 10, 2016
Sher Jan Durrani, the spokesman for the police chief of Balkh province, said Friday a gun battle is going on at the consulate.
The Taliban issued a statement saying they had sent suicide attackers to the consulate.
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Walter Hassmann, the German ambassador to Afghanistan, says the "incident is ongoing" and provided no further details.
Residents in the city reported hearing a huge explosion near the consulate which shattered windows in buildings nearby.
Germany has 938 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh, as part of NATO's Resolute Support mission.
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The Taliban's insurgency has spread from their southern heartland across the country in the past two years.