Pakistan military officers behind Indian consulate attack: Balkh Police chief

Said attackers were military personnel, who were educated, well prepared and had intelligence

Pakistani military officers were behind the Indian consulate attack in Mazar-e-Sharif earlier this month, claimed Balkh Police chief Sayed Kamal Sadat here on Tuesday.

According to TOLO news, an Afghanistan news television network, Sadat said the attackers, officers from across the border, were well-trained military men, who fought Afghan security forces in the 25-hour siege.

"We saw with our own eyes, and I can say 99% of those attackers were from Pakistani military and used special tactics, while conducting their operation," he said.

"The attackers were military personnel. They were educated and well prepared and had intelligence. They fought us and only by Allah's grace we were able to control them and eliminate them," he added.

The high-ranking official said efforts are underway to track down, identify and detain those who assisted the attackers to gain access to the building opposite the consulate.

"We are jointly working with the director of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and have spoken about this, especially as they came here not able to speak in Dari or Pashtu, but speaking in Urdu. It means obviously there is someone who guided those attackers and helped the attackers," said Sadat.

The attack on the Indian consulate took place nine days ago. Three attackers entered a building opposite the Indian consulate - the siege lasted 25 hours.

One policeman was killed and nine others, including three civilians, were injured in the attack.

The security forces eventually gunned down the attackers, who had been holed up in the 4th floor kitchen of the building.