Syed Saleem Shahzad: Taliban send a bloody Hello to Richard Holbrook

The Taliban made their bloody presence felt in the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday with a daring attack that claimed the lives of at least 26 people, with up to 60 injured. Suicide bombers and gunmen, reminiscent of the Pakistan-linked terror attack on the Indian city of Mumbai last November, stormed heavily guarded government ministries near the presidential palace, making an unequivocal statement that they are a factor to be reckoned with as Western-led nations scramble to contain the Taliban insurgency and find a way to protect supply lines into Afghanistan. The attack, the most complex and brazen in the capital since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, involved five armed militants storming the Ministry of Justice building in a crowded downtown area, killing some workers and taking others hostage. Afghan security forces exchanged gunfire for hours before freeing the hostages and killing all of the insurgents. At the same time, suicide bombers attacked a Prison Affairs office in the north of the city, while a gunman opened fire outside the Education Ministry before being killed by police.