KABUL: At least six civilians were killed when a suicide bomber in a car targeted two vehicles carrying foreign forces in the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday, police said. The Hezb-e-Islami insurgent group, allied with the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
“A suicide bomber driving a (Toyota) Corolla targeted a convoy of foreign troops,” Kabul Police Chief Ayoub Salangi told media by telephone.
The powerful blast took place at around 8 a.m. (0330 GMT) and caused heavy damaged to mud-built houses in the vicinity.
Helicopters buzzed over Kabul’s diplomatic area after the attack and sirens whined.
NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said it was aware of an explosion and was looking into reports of ISAF casualties.
“We planned this attack for over a week, our target was American advisers,” Hezb-e-Islami spokesman Haroon Zarghoun said by telephone, adding that the bomb killed 12 Americans.