Terror attack in Kabul hospital leaves two newborns, 12 others dead

Security forces killed four suicide attackers during the five hours of fighting.

The attackers were dressed in military uniforms.

The Ministry of Interior was quoted as saying by Tolo News that at least 14 civilians were killed, including two newborn babies, and fifteen others were wounded in the clash. 

The Afghan forces have rescued more than 40 people from the medical clinic in Kabul, Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told the website.

There is a guest house behind the hospital and foreigners are staying there and the "attackers were trying to get inside the guest house through the hospital," security sources told TOLOnews.

The Taliban denied their involvement in the incident.

Afghan First Vice-President Amrullah Saleh tweeted: "Terrorists Taliban, their current or former allies or their ideological twins attacked a maternity hospital & a funeral procession killing mothers, newborn babies & innocent civilians.This is the behavior of the changed Taliban after they took courses on humane conduct in Doha."

Afghanistan's National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib posted: "If the Taliban can not control the violence, or their sponsors have now subcontracted their terror to other entities —which was one of our primary concerns from the beginning— then their seems little point in continuing to engage Taliban in 'peace talks'."

"The Afghan government and our international partners, have a responsibility to hold the Taliban and their sponsors accountable. The reason to pursue peace is to end this senseless violence. This is not peace, nor its beginnings," he said.

 He said trends showed that Taliban and their partners did not intend to pursue peace.

"The attacks of the last two months show us and the world that Taliban & their sponsors do not and did not intend to pursue peace. Their attacks this spring against Afghans are comparable to the level of fighting in past fighting seasons," he said.

US Ambassador Ross Wilson said: "I deplore this barbaric attack & condemn the evil terrorists who target those who cannot defend themselves and who are already suffering. Hospitals are centers of compassion with dedicated Afghan and @MSF_Afghanistan staff caring for innocent civilians."

Amnesty International South Asia posted: "The unconscionable #war #crimes in #Afghanistan today, targeting a maternity hospital and a funeral, must awaken the world to the horrors civilians continue to face. There must be accountability for these grave crimes, and civilians must be protected."

Human Rights Watch's associate Asia director Patricia Gossman remarked: "An attack on a maternity clinic is simply unspeakable. This attack is the latest incident of an armed group in Afghanistan targeting patients, healthcare workers, and medical facilities."