Bomb blast rocks Afghan capital

AFGHANISTAN: A suicide bomber blew himself up in the heart of the Afghan capital early Friday and another two would-be attackers were shot dead by police, the interior ministry said.

“A suicide bomber detonated himself in front of a kebab shop near the Safi Landmark,” ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told AFP, referring to an upmarket shopping and hotel complex in the Shar-I-Naw area of central Kabul.

“Two other suicide bombers were shot dead by police in the same area,” he added.

Sporadic gunfire could be heard in the district, which was cordoned off by police, more than an hour after the initial explosion which sent clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. Witnesses said at least two smaller explosions had also been heard, and that gunmen had entered the building.

However, Bashary said despite the gunfire, early reports did not indicate that police were involved in a standoff with gunmen. The blast was followed by the wail of sirens and loudspeaker announcements telling residents of the city to stay inside.

The heavily-fortifed centre of the capital has been relatively calm since January 18, when gunmen stormed the commercial heart of Kabul, taking over buildings, detonating suicide vests and killing at least five people.

Friday’s explosion struck around 6:30 am (0200 GMT), a day after the Afghan flag was raised over a southern town at the centre of a US-led offensive designed to evict Taliban militants and reinstate Afghan government control. KABUL, Friday, AFP