A four-hour long gunbattle between Afghan security forces and gunmen holed up near the Pakistani consulate in the eastern city of Jalalabad has come to an end after all attackers were killed, Afghanistan's Tolo News reported.At least seven police officials were killed in the attack, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Seddiqi was quoted as saying.
Tolo News reported a consulate staff member, three children and seven police officials
are also among those injured, but Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah contended, "All Pakistanis working at the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad are safe. No one has been injured."
An interior ministry statement said a "group of terrorists targeted a police vehicle near the Pakistan consulate at 8:50am", while local officials claim the consulate itself was attacked, Tolo News said.
Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, earlier said a suicide bomber had tried to join a queue of people seeking visas to Pakistan and blew himself up after being prevented from entering the building.
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