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At Least 13 Dead After Siege on American University in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces stand guard outside the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 / AP
August 25, 2016

A militant attack on American University of Afghanistan in Kabul killed 13 people and wounded at least 36 others, a government spokesman said early Thursday.

The 10-hour siege began Wednesday night local time when two gunmen made it past university security and opened fire in the school’s halls after a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle to clear a path. Both gunmen were killed, Abdul Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police, told the New York Times.

Seven students, three police officers, two security guards, and a doorman were killed during the assault. Dozens of students were wounded along with nine police officers.

The State Department announced Thursday that no Americans were killed or wounded.

Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said hours after the attack that about 700 students had been rescued from the university complex.

No group has claimed responsibility for the assault, though authorities are investigating potential links to the Taliban. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the perpetrators had grenades and automatic weapons.

President Ashraf Ghani called the attack "barbaric" and said it was an act of hostility "against progress and development," according to the Times.

"Terrorists and their sponsors should know that the people and government of Afghanistan will continue on the path that they have chosen despite the hardships," Ghani said in a statement. "Attacking educational institutions and public places and targeting civilians will not only fail to shake our determination, but will further strengthen it to fight and eradicate terror."

American University in Kabul was established in 2006 with the help of former First Lady Laura Bush to offer liberal arts classes similar to the U.S. education system. More than 1,000 students are currently enrolled.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul condemned the "heinous" attack.

"We remain strongly committed to the people of Afghanistan who are dedicated to establishing lasting peace and security and building the brightest possible future for their children," Ambassador P. Michael McKinley said.

The school was closed earlier this month after gunmen abducted two foreign professors, one American and one Australian, close to the campus in the capital of Afghanistan. The campus reopened three days after the incident.