Taliban Fires Rockets at Afghan Parliament Complex Built by India

The newly built Parliament complex was built by India and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

The new parliament complex of Afghanistan. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @zakariahassani4)

Rockets fired by Taliban fighters struck the compound of Afghanistan’s new parliament on Monday as the country’s top intelligence official and caretaker minister of interior prepared to address the assembly.

An eyewitness was quoted as saying:

Some three rockets landed near the new Parliament building around 10.15 am (local time). At least one rocket struck the building’s yard, sending up a black smoke in the air.

The members of the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of Parliament, were holding a meeting when the attack took place.

We still cannot provide details on casualties. But the initial investigation found no one was injured as a result of the attack inside the parliament compound.

<b>Security Official</b>

Lawmakers said no one was reported wounded, contradicting Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid who said the militants’ attack had caused heavy casualties.

A senior security official told Reuters that three long-range rockets were fired from a hilltop several hundreds metres from the parliament building.

Three rockets were fired at the parliament but they did not hit the main building. It happened when the session was ongoing .

Safiullah Muslim, a lawmaker from Badakhshan province

The Taliban released a statement along with several photographs of the attack which appeared to show a smoke rising from near the parliament in a western neighborhood of the capital Kabul.

In another photo, a small hole, and a damaged wall, apparently caused by the rockets could be seen.

There was a clear negligence of duty and I am going to task security officials to provide tight security in and around the parliament.

<b>Taj Mohammad Jahid, Caretaker of Minister of Interior</b>

The new complex was built by India and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2015.