Gunmen enter Spain embassy in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan – Attackers entered the Spanish Embassy in Kabul after a deadly car bombing in a diplomatic neighborhood of the Afghan capital, engaging in an hour-long shootout with security forces while staff hid in bunkers, the Spanish government said Saturday in an account of the attack a day earlier.

Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said four Afghan police officers and two others, including a foreigner, were killed in the attack that was claimed by the Taliban. Authorities in Madrid said two Spanish police officers were killed. The discrepancy could not immediately be clarified.

According to a statement issued Saturday by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s office, a powerful car bomb exploded Friday evening near the embassy, “causing serious damage to the premises” and killing Deputy-Inspector Jorge Garcia Tudela and Isidro Gabino Sanmartin Hernandez who were guarding the compound.

Eighty-seven killed in Burundi violence

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Violence from coordinated attacks on three Burundian army installations killed 87 people, an army spokesman said Saturday, showing the turmoil over the disputed third term of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

More than 150 armed men raided the army facilities Friday and 79 of them were killed, army spokesman Col. Gaspard Baratuza said Saturday. Eight security agents, four from the army and four from police, also died in the fighting and 21 security officers were wounded, he said. Baratuza said forces arrested 45 members of the unidentified group that attacked the military installations.

Residents of the city said that security forces searched houses and dragged out people and shot them, some with their hands tied behind their backs.

Associated Press