44 killed in terrorist attack on gov't offices in Kabul

KABUL -- A total of 44 people, including four assailants, have been killed in a terrorist attack against two government offices in Kabul, an Afghan Public Health Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

"The latest data showed 40 people, including 11 women and 29 men, were martyred and 27 others wounded in Monday's terrorist attack in Kabul," Waheed Majroh told reporters.

The attack occurred on Monday afternoon when the assailants stormed buildings of Afghan Ministry of Public Works and nearby newly-formed National Authority for People with Disability and Martyrs' Families.

The counter-attack ended at early hours of Tuesday. Among those lost their lives in the deadly incident were government employees, visitors and a police officer.

About 357 people were rescued by the Afghan Special Operations Forces from the targeted buildings.

The attack occurred in Makruyan-e-Awal locality near Shashdarak, where several foreign embassies are located.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

The capital city with a population of nearly 5 million has been hit by series of terror attacks by Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) outfit over the past couple of years.

On Dec 11, a Taliban suicide car bombing targeted a security forces' convoy in western Kabul, killing eight civilians and four Afghan intelligence agency personnel.

More than 2,790 civilians were killed and over 5,250 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of year in the war-torn country, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.