Taliban militants unleashed car bombs at the US Consulate in western Afghanistan

Taliban militants unleashed car bombs at the US Consulate in western Afghanistan this morning, triggering a firefight with security forces in an attack that killed at least two Afghans and wounded 17. The US said its personnel from the mission were safe and that most of them were temporarily relocated to Kabul, while American forces secured the site.

The attack in the city of Herat — along with a suicide truck bombing in the country’s east that wounded seven Afghans today — raises concerns of spreading insecurity in Afghanistan as US-led troops reduce their presence ahead of a full withdrawal next year. It came two days after the 12 anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and was a harsh reality check for Afghans who had spent the previous day and a half celebrating their nation’s first international soccer championship.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi took responsibility for the Herat attack in a phone call with The Associated Press.