May 01, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1429

KABUL, April 30: Afghan security forces on Wednesday raided the Kabul hideout of Taliban militants behind an attack on President Hamid Karzai, sparking a battle that left seven people dead, including a woman and child.

Two militants and three government agents were also among the dead after fierce clashes involving rockets and machine-guns raged for around 10 hours at a “safe house” in the west of the capital, the country’s spy chief said.

Spy chief Amrullah Saleh said they had evidence that the “terrorists” received orders for the attack on Karzai from sources in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt and were receiving orders from there up to the very last minute.“There were telephone numbers, exchange of messages and proof that they were receiving orders from across our borders. Whether they were receiving these guidance ordered by government of Pakistan or not, we have no proof,” he said, adding the militants were in contact with people in Bajaur and North Waziristan and Peshawar.

Earlier, an interior ministry official had said five Taliban militants blew themselves up in the house after the clashes with security forces.

Saleh said the “very sophisticated terrorist cell” had a direct link to Sunday’s Karzai attack, with one of the dead militants having bought and moved weapons to the hotel where the attack was launched.

Saleh said soldiers laid waste to the building after the three agents were killed while trying to go in and arrest the militants.

The woman was not an Afghan and had come to the country to carry out a suicide attack, he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP that two men named Attah Mohammad and Mirwais were killed in the operation, along with Attah Mohammad’s wife and baby daughter.

“They had planned and executed Sunday’s attack on the military parade and had managed to escape after the attack while three of their friends were killed that day,” Mujahid said by telephone.—Agencies