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Bomb destroys police bus in Kabul | |
(40 minutes later) | |
A bomb attack on an Afghan police bus has killed up to 35 people and injured many in Kabul, officials say. | |
The bomb went off close to police headquarters in the city centre at rush hour. Most of the dead are police recruits or instructors. | The bomb went off close to police headquarters in the city centre at rush hour. Most of the dead are police recruits or instructors. |
It is thought to be the highest number of deaths caused by a bomb in Kabul since the Taleban were ousted in 2001. | |
Taleban rebels told the BBC that they carried out the attack - the fifth bombing in three days. | |
The blast site resembled a scene from Baghdad, the BBC's John Simpson says. | The blast site resembled a scene from Baghdad, the BBC's John Simpson says. |
Such an attack is disturbingly new on the streets of Kabul and the tactics appear to have been borrowed directly from Iraq, our world affairs editor reports from Kabul. | Such an attack is disturbingly new on the streets of Kabul and the tactics appear to have been borrowed directly from Iraq, our world affairs editor reports from Kabul. |
Bomb 'aboard bus' | |
Senior officer Ali Shah Paktiawal said that 35 people had been killed. | |
Most of the victims are believed to have been police officers | |
However, a doctor at a nearby hospital, Fazel Rahim, told The Associated Press he had counted 18 bodies while 35 people were being treated for injuries. | |
"Most of the wounded are in a serious condition," Dr Rahim added, his hands and white coat covered in blood. | |
At least two of the injured were in a coma. | |
Police initially told the BBC that a man had blown himself up on board the bus but are now uncertain whether the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber or a device placed on board beforehand. | |
According to AP, the explosion appeared to have happened in the front of the vehicle, which was more badly damaged. | |
'Fire and dust' | 'Fire and dust' |
Outside police headquarters, there were little pools of blood and bits of bodies. | |
Wali Mohammad, an eyewitness who was driving his car just behind the bus, told AP news agency that both police and civilians were among the dead and injured. | |
He said he had seen "a big fire and dust" in front of him. | He said he had seen "a big fire and dust" in front of him. |
Correspondents say the thunderous blast could be heard across Kabul. | |
According to Afghan media reports, Sunday was to see the handover of police training in Kabul from Germany to the European Union. | According to Afghan media reports, Sunday was to see the handover of police training in Kabul from Germany to the European Union. |
The city saw another suicide attack at exactly the same time on Saturday morning. That incident on the outskirts caused at least three deaths. | The city saw another suicide attack at exactly the same time on Saturday morning. That incident on the outskirts caused at least three deaths. |
The past two days have also seen suicide attacks in the north and south of the country. | The past two days have also seen suicide attacks in the north and south of the country. |