Rockets Fired At Kabul Presidential Palace, Nearby U.S. Embassy Hit

Two rockets were fired toward the presidential palace in Kabul as Afghanistan’s leader was delivering an Eid al-Adha holiday message, with one landing next to the United States Embassy. While no injuries were reported, the incident is raising concerns given that the targeted area is one of the most secure in the Afghan capital, where missions and government buildings are surrounded by high cement blast walls. In response, an aerial gunship targeted the house from which the projectiles were launched, a location the police had raided, apparently prompting the fire, after noticing suspicious activity. While no group claimed responsibility for the attack, fingers are being pointed at the Taliban, which recently launched a major offensive in the southeast and which has gained ground across the country despite ongoing efforts by Washington to initiate direct peace talks. The U.S.-led NATO mission officially ended its combat mission at the end of 2014, however foreign troops that remain in Afghanistan repeatedly have been forced to battle alongside local government forces in order to prevent the Taliban from advancing into major cities.