JUNE 25- Gunmen attacked the Afghan presidential palace early on Tuesday, with explosions and gunfire shaking the city centre.
A Reuters reporter at the palace said the attack began soon after 6.30 am (0200 GMT) on the building’s east gate. Reporters were gathering for a press event with President Hamid Karzai.
It was not immedately clear whether Karzai was inside the building at the time of the assault.
The Taliban claimed responsibility soon after for the early morning attack on the presidential palace and nearby government and other buildings as fighting raged in the area.
“Today at 6.30 a.m. a number of martyrs attacked the presidential palace, defence ministry and the Ariana Hotel,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a text message.
The Ariana Hotel is known to house the headquarters of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan.
