Afghan presidential compound hit

Six members of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's honour guard were wounded yesterday when a rocket struck his palace compound, two officials told AFP.

The rocket was one of a salvo launched into central Kabul just as officials were gathering in the capital to commemorate Afghanistan's 101st independence day.

Ghani had finished speaking outside the famous Arg Palace to mark the event when a rocket landed in the sprawling compound and wounded six members of his honour guard, two palace officials told AFP on condition of anonymity. The president had already wrapped up his ceremonial duties and was not affected.

The interior ministry did not immediately comment on the incident, but spokesman Tareq Arian earlier said 14 rockets were fired out of two vehicles in the capital, mostly hitting civilian homes. Unfortunately, 10 civilians including four children and one woman have been wounded," Arian said. Two suspects were arrested, he added.