American University of Afghanistan Besieged by Militants

The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, was assaulted Wednesday evening (10am ET) by as yet unnamed militants, who are believed to be either from the Taliban or an offshoot of the Islamic State. The incident began with the detonation of a car bomb at the front gate, which cleared the way for two teams of militants to enter the compound.

Many of the students managed to escape through emergency exits, but hundreds more were trapped alongside a handful of foreign teachers, which included several American professors. Though exact numbers are difficult to ascertain, it’s believed that 1 student has been killed, and 14 have been injured and sent to the hospital. Other reports suggest that an armed guard has been killed as well.

Elite Afghan security forces quickly surrounded the compound, and gunfire could be heard for at least an hour after the attack began. They eventually entered the compound to clear the rest of the buildings and release the remaining students and staff members. The Pentagon has said that U.S. military personnel were embedded with the Afghan forces in non-combat advisory roles.

The American University of Afghanistan is a private, non-profit school that is run by Stanford University, Georgetown University and the University of California among other foreign schools, and has 1,700 students enrolled.