Asia-Pacific

Third explosion, gun fire shock Kabul

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-02 15:22
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KABUL - A third rocket attack and gun fire rocked west of capital city Kabul where a National Consultative Peace Jirga or assembly opened Wednesday morning to discuss the ways and means on how to ensure lasting peace in Afghanistan.  

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The rocket landed close to a giant tent in a college in west Kabul, where the Peace Jirga was held, told a Xinhua reporter at the site. Sporadic gunshots were heard some 1.5 km away from the venue of the meeting, with helicopters flying around the scene.

Earlier, two rockets landed nearby Intercontinental hotel close to the venue where President Hamid Karzai was delivering his speech, but no one was hurt in the attack, according to a security official who declined to be named.

On Wednesday morning, about 1,600 people including tribal chieftains, parliamentarians, social and political figures as well as government officials gathered at the venue to discuss the ways and means on how to enhance the government-initiated reconciliation process with Taliban militants.

One day earlier, Taliban militants fighting Afghan and the NATO-led forces stationed in Afghanistan termed the government- initiated Peace Jirga as phony and vowed to continue war.