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Taliban launches attacks on western targets in Afghanistan

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    ISAF spokesman Captain John Kirby responds

  • Duration 5:52
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Before the sun came up by -- with the the man who is actually the spokesman for US and NATO forces he gave me.

His take on this attack.

We were together the two of us just a half hour before all hell broke view lose.

-- today and and I asked them just a couple of hours ago to assess the attack.

Here is the navy captain captain John Kirby spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force 45 minutes.

After we said goodbye -- today all hell broke loose.

Was -- something I said.

Well it's good to be back -- although.

No I don't think it anything to do review let me -- you know this is.

Is the Taliban you know took credit for this in.

And this -- what they claim to be the beginning of their spring offensive.

The beginning of their spring offensive so there's more to come what are you describe exactly what they did today what it.

Appears as if they done here is to -- several I will say well coordinated attacks against.

Afghan government.

Facilities as well as some facilities of the international community here some of some of the embassies including the US embassy.

And clearly these attacks are aimed at trying to show that there is vulnerability here with the status of the Afghan government and with the international community's presence here.

But in reality they accomplish very little.

If their goal is to terror realize they accomplished that but if their goal -- to kill us.

They failed miserably captain five million -- I think I think what they were trying to do here in this is not atypical for.

For these the types of terrorists these extremists these criminals is to send a message -- every attack in the -- they were trying to send.

And it was that the government of Afghanistan is not strong it's not sovereign it's not independent.

The international community to foreigners here in the country are are weak you know legitimate and frankly.

Aside from the military failure as you said.

Quite clearly they didn't really have much of a military effect and the other thing is when we talk about Afghan governance and and stability.

Mean just take a look at how well the Afghan national security forces did today particularly.

The Afghan National Police.

In fact -- then my brother Craig was out in the attack.

Watching as I staff forces were turned back by the local cops saying that they could handle it.

Is that a harbinger of something positive in the future captain.

I think that anecdote that Craig solace -- speaks volumes.

Her although not just about how well they're doing.

But about the strategy that we put in place here of transition.

And I think that what Craig -- is absolutely indicative of what we're trying to do across the whole country.

We want them to be in the lead and as you sell yourself they want that responsibility.

I was actually locked in the embassy with ambassador Crocker I couldn't get out to get to the -- -- Craig was there but -- Kirby if you could just tell us exactly.

How many coordinated attacks were the air nationwide kept.

I know there were attacks on several.

The embassies here as well as against several government institutions.

But -- I'd I'd say probably across the country I have to say there was.

Probably a dozen may be less than a little less than a dozen will be my guest but again we're still working -- with you that right now.

So finally -- and the good news is they didn't kill any of us.

The bad news is they were so many attack.

They certainly were able to conduct.

A series of well coordinated attacks I don't wanna underestimate that.

I don't -- shrug that offer or make it sound like we are taken this seriously clearly we are and we did.

But I think it's really important to remember that that from a military perspective.

They didn't have any tangible effect at all.

But even from the psychological effect -- that they were trying to achieve I don't believe they succeeded I mean and again that the Afghan national security forces responded in.

Fantastic fashion.

Get the judge Terry thank you.

My pleasure thank them.

All right we're getting word now that this finally may be over -- that not at this Denali.

In the past few minutes Alan Al-Jazeera that they saying that -- the police that she reached its full leveled the building with a -- gunman was mostly holed up.

They're seeing out all these actually being removed from the top of the building that we know that was -- As many as six in that building and -- Arafat that he threw fuel quite fluently then if we see them and they and and so now that we -- police take the -- wolf the indication is that he could volunteer to be -- we haven't had an explosion through its equipment at Sam.

There's who have been on the academic in the tally and -- it looks like at least this attack.

Finally.

To put yet sound -- like that's an accurate I mean.

About two hours before our broadcast stop we we started we were up here in the -- and we heard.

Loud explosions followed by machine gunfire so that was probably the assault the police going into that building.

To take that building down finally.

-- I also want to acknowledge in New York.

Former Reagan defense administration.

Official KT McFarland.

Will be joining us with her.

Take on what has been going on here we will give you the confirmation on the Al-Jazeera report that this is all over.

That now -- They have finally.

Taken out the the last.

The last -- the attackers.

Now I don't even know what their goal was in that building I went to that building.

I want well I don't even know what they hope to accomplish in his best be sustained attack is that you have president's latest -- from this well in -- of stockpiled weapons site that built inside camp constructed building.

They do this because security's -- forward these sites easy to write to -- -- just intimidate their way.

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