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Special US Envoy Arrives in Afghanistan



U.S. officials say new American envoy Richard Holbrooke has arrived in Afghanistan, one day after Taliban gunmen staged deadly attacks in the capital, Kabul.

Holbrooke, the envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is on his first trip to the region. He flew to Afghanistan from Pakistan.

Last week, a U.S. State Department spokesman said Holbrooke's trip would be like an "orientation session," and that he would bring no proposals for advancing international efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Afghan authorities are investigating links between Pakistan and Taliban gunmen who killed at least 26 people in coordinated attacks Wednesday on three government buildings in Kabul. The Afghan National Directorate of Security launched the probe.

Afghanistan's security chief, Amrullah Saleh, said Wednesday militant groups in Pakistan may have ties to the assault.

He said that as the bombers prepared to attack the Justice Ministry, they sent messages to Pakistan calling for the blessing of their "mastermind."

The Taliban assault wounded nearly 60 other people.

Afghan officials say eight suicide attackers died after they tried to kill as many people as possible. Some blew themselves up, while others were killed by security guards.

The United States and United Nations condemned the attacks against the Afghan Justice Ministry, Education Ministry and the office of prisons.



Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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