Gunmen attack hospital in southern Afghanistan

Two gunmen entered a hospital in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Monday, setting off a gunbattle with security forces in which one of the attackers was killed, officials said.

It was not immediately clear who the gunmen were or whether they were affiliated with any insurgent group. Samim Khpalwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor of Kandahar, said security forces were at the Mirwais Hospital, a large regional facility that provides health services to war victims, including members of the army and police.

He said one of the gunmen had been killed but security forces were moving carefully to avoid casualties and damage to the hospital.

"So far, no patients, visitors, hospital personnel or our security forces have been hurt," he said. "We are taking steps forward very carefully."