[Published: Tuesday August 21 2018]
 Mortars target Kabul's diplomatic area
KABUL 21 Aug (ANA) - Militants have fired mortars at the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital Kabul during a speech by the president to mark a Muslim holiday.
President Ashraf Ghani was speaking live on television to celebrate Eid al-Adha when explosions were heard near the presidential palace.
A combat helicopter later fired on a building where militants are believed to have taken up position.
Mr Ghani's call for an Eid ceasefire was rejected by Taliban militants.
As troops secured the area targeted, it was still not clear who had fired the mortars or if there were casualties.
Militants from both the Taliban and so-called Islamic State have carried out attacks in Afghanistan this month that left hundreds of people dead.
A Kabul police chief told the BBC that three attackers armed with a heavy machine gun and a mortar had broken into a building behind Kabul's Id Gah Mosque.
According to the police chief, the attackers first used the mortar against the presidential palace.
A number of explosions were heard in the background as President Ghani was delivering his Eid message.
Security forces are fighting the militants in the building, which was rocketed by the helicopter.(ANA)
FA/ANA/21 August 2018---------
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