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Suicide attack at Afghan ministry | Suicide attack at Afghan ministry |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A suicide bomber has blown himself up inside an Afghan ministry in Kabul, killing himself and four other people. | A suicide bomber has blown himself up inside an Afghan ministry in Kabul, killing himself and four other people. |
A further 23 people were wounded in the attack, police say, which took place at the information and culture ministry in the centre of the capital. | A further 23 people were wounded in the attack, police say, which took place at the information and culture ministry in the centre of the capital. |
The building was badly damaged, with broken glass and office equipment scattered over the area. | The building was badly damaged, with broken glass and office equipment scattered over the area. |
Security around ministry buildings in Kabul is usually very tight and attacks such as this are not common. | Security around ministry buildings in Kabul is usually very tight and attacks such as this are not common. |
The Taleban have claimed responsibility for the attack. | |
Chaotic and tense | Chaotic and tense |
Abdul Hazratgai, who works for a non-governmental organisation, was in the next building when the attack took place. | Abdul Hazratgai, who works for a non-governmental organisation, was in the next building when the attack took place. |
He told the BBC: "I heard a huge explosion and then the sound of shooting and exchange of fire. | He told the BBC: "I heard a huge explosion and then the sound of shooting and exchange of fire. |
"As people were fleeing, the windows in the next building broke and fell down near us and car windows were shattered too." | "As people were fleeing, the windows in the next building broke and fell down near us and car windows were shattered too." |
In pictures: Kabul blast | In pictures: Kabul blast |
A spokesman for the Taleban, Zabiullah Mujahid, told agencies that three men had carried out the attack. | |
He said two fighters had shot at the guards and then fled as the third ran inside and detonated the bomb. | |
The Voice of Jihad website, quoting the Afghan Taleban, named the bomber as Naqibollah, from the province of Khost. | |
Many of the six-storey building's windows were blown out by the force of the blast and some windows in neighbouring buildings were also shattered. | Many of the six-storey building's windows were blown out by the force of the blast and some windows in neighbouring buildings were also shattered. |
The minister was not in the building at the time of the attack. | The minister was not in the building at the time of the attack. |
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is visiting Turkey, condemned the attack, saying it was "another attempt by the enemies of Afghanistan to undermine peace and security". | |
Health ministry officials said that of the 23 wounded, eight had already left hospital with minor injuries. | |
One witness said that the wounded included some children from a kindergarten on the compound. | |
The BBC's Milton Nkosi, in Kabul, described scenes of panic outside the ministry building, with emergency services rushing into action amid the wailing of sirens. | The BBC's Milton Nkosi, in Kabul, described scenes of panic outside the ministry building, with emergency services rushing into action amid the wailing of sirens. |
"Kabul is still a tense place, but people are saying that the security situation is still much better than it was a year ago," he said. | "Kabul is still a tense place, but people are saying that the security situation is still much better than it was a year ago," he said. |
"It may seem grim at the moment, but things this time last year were a lot worse." | "It may seem grim at the moment, but things this time last year were a lot worse." |
Are you in the area of the attack? Did you witness the blast? Send us your comments and experiences. | Are you in the area of the attack? Did you witness the blast? Send us your comments and experiences. |