7 Killed in Kabul Raid

Seven terrorists were killed when their hideout was raided by Afghan secuirty forces. The terrorists were believed to be linked to the attempted assisination of Afghan president Karzai. AFP

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan security forces raided a Kabul hideout of militants with suspected links to the weekend attack on President Hamid Karzai, sparking a clash Wednesday that killed seven people, officials said.

Two militants, a woman and a child were among those killed during the clash when the two sides traded rocket-propelled grenade and automatic gunfire for several hours, intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh told a news conference.

Three intelligence agents also died, he said.

The suspects were linked to militants who tried to assassinate Karzai during a military parade Sunday, Saleh said. The U.S.-backed president survived that attack, but a lawmaker and two other people were killed. Taliban claimed responsibility.

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Security forces launched their raid on the mud-brick house in a densely populated area in western Kabul before dawn Wednesday. Families evacuated the area as explosions reverberated and gunfire pierced the air.

Saleh said the government troops finally destroyed the two-story house with heavy weapons fire after the third intelligence agent had died and it was clear the militants would not surrender.

One of the dead militants had supplied weapons used in the attack on Karzai, Saleh said.