Six al-Qaeda killed at hospital siege

Loud explosions rocked the hospital compound

Six al-Qaeda fighters who had barricaded themselves inside a hospital in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar have been killed in an attack by US and Afghan forces, according to Afghan police.

These Arabs fought to the death

US Major Chris Miller

The American special forces and Afghan soldiers had been besieging the Mirwais Hospital compound since about 0340 (2210GMT).

Loud explosions and automatic gunfire rocked the compound as they moved in.

Afghan police commanders said that all six gunmen - who were thought to be Arabs - had been killed.

It was also reported that six Afghan government soldiers were injured.

American 'advisers'

"These Arabs fought to the death," said Major Chris Miller of the US special forces.

"Up to the last minute, we told every man to surrender. But none of them listened," he said.

A body lies inside one of the hospital rooms after the raid

The major was wearing an "I Love New York" badge and a New York Yankees baseball cap, as were almost all the Americans in the assault.

He called the operation "100% Afghan" and said that the Americans acted only as advisers.

However, reports from the scene said that US special forces appeared to be in the thick of the action.

Afghan authorities said that a final ultimatum to surrender had been delivered before dawn.

When it was refused, Afghan and US forces attacked with grenades and automatic weapons.

Warning shouted

"The Arabs saw them, and they started firing," said Najabullah, an Afghan commander.

He said the al-Qaeda men also threw grenades.

For several hours, the Americans and Afghans moved into positions for the final assault.

Some al-Qaeda prisoners have been paraded in public

Soldiers crouched by walls and crept along the ledge of the second-floor ward where the al-Qaeda men were holed up.

Soon after midday, the Americans shouted "stand clear" and moved in with the Afghans, the Associated Press news agency reported.

They threw as many as 20 grenades and other explosives into the ward.

Long bursts of automatic gunfire followed, along with single shots from pistols.

Describing the final moment of the assult, Afghan commander Lali Saliki said he shot the last living gunman after the gunman had groped for a gun.

Taleban fled

The wounded fighters barricaded themselves inside one of the hospital's wings when the Taleban fled Kandahar in December.

They were in a group of 19 al-Qaeda members who were brought to the hospital for treatment shortly before the city fell to opposition forces on 7 December.

The less seriously injured of the men vanished after the Taleban collapse, but nine were left behind.

They dug in, threatening to blow themselves up if anyone other than a doctor approached. It is unclear how they managed to smuggle pistols and grenades into the hospital.

Two of the fighters were captured - tricked by the only doctor the men trusted - and one killed himself with a grenade during a failed attempt to escape earlier this month.

Supplies cut off

Those remaining, who were thought to be from Sudan or Yemen, took over four or five rooms of the internal medicine ward.

Medical staff at the hospital expressed extreme concern at having to treat the men.

One surgeon said he was "shocked during examining an X-ray of one Arab patient when I saw a hand grenade fixed to his thigh".

Two weeks ago, hospital officials ordered staff to cut off the men's food and water in an attempt to starve them out - but they were believed to have stockpiled supplies.