Gunmen Attack Ceremony In Kabul Attended By Top Afghan Leader

Gunmen attacked a ceremony in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday where a top Afghan political leader, Abdullah Abdullah, was present but he escaped unharmed, his spokesman said.

"The attack started with a boom, apparently a rocket landed in the area, Abdullah and some other politicians ..escaped the attack unhurt," Abdullah's spokesman, Fraidoon Kwazoon, who was also present, told Reuters by telephone.

The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack on the gathering marking the anniversary of the death of Abdul Ali Mazari, an ethnic Hazara leader who was killed in 1995 after being taken prisoner by the militants.

Broadcaster Tolo News showed live footage of people running for cover as gunfire was heard. There was no immediate confirmation of any casualties but unverified pictures posted on social media showed wounded people.

Ministry of Interior spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said special police forces had been sent to the area. President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack as a crime against humanity, his spokesman said.

Several people were killed in a similar attack on the same commemoration last year. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for that attack. Hazaras are mostly Shi'ite Muslims.

Minority Shi'ites have been repeatedly attacked by Sunni Muslim militant groups in Afghanistan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)