Afghan courthouse attack kills 50 people

At least 50 people are dead and 90 wounded after militants stormed a court in Farah, Afghanistan, where Taliban insurgents were being tried. 

The suicide bomb and gun attack, according to the BBC, wounded mostly civilians who were present at the court proceedings, as the militants — disguised as soldiers — attempted to free the 15 Taliban insurgents on trial, without success.

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"They stormed the court as a trial was being held to convict 10 Taliban fighters," said provincial deputy governor Mohammad Younis Rasouli to Reuters of the attack, noting that three security force members and four civilians had died.

Provincial Gov. Akram Akhpewak told the AP those killed included 34 civilians, 10 security forces and nine attackers.

The attack began at 9 a.m. local time, according to the BBC report, and fighting may still be continuing. A Taliban spokesman claimed all the prisoners had been freed, a claim the police deny.

"Definitely the plan was to free the prisoners with this attack but, thank God, they did not succeed," provincial police chief Agha Noor Kemtoz told the BBC. "All the prisoners are accounted for."