Suicide bomber strikes near Indian Embassy in Kabul; 12 killed

Kabul, Oct 8 (PTI) A suicide bomber Thursday blew up his
car outside the compound of the Indian Embassy in the Afghan
capital killing at least 12 people and leaving 83 wounded,
including three ITBP (Indo Tibetan Border Police) jawans, in a
fiery blast that had all the hallmarks of Taliban.

The powerful blast blew up the mission watch tower,
destroyed vehicles and left a trail of death and destruction
with Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad saying, "Indian Embassy
was the target."

"A suicide car bomb took place near the Indian Embassy in
which 12 people were killed and 83 wounded. Most of the
wounded are civilians," Interior Ministry spokesman Zemaral
Bashry said.

The Indian Ambassador said, "we have confirmed reports of
nine killed, four critically injured and 12 others severely
wounded. The toll may go up."

But the suicide bomber failed to breach the Embassy's
security perimeter and Prasad said, "no mission staff or
Indian had been killed in the attack."

Three ITBP jawans guarding the barricaded Embassy
compound received minor injuries in the blast which occurred
at 0827 local time (0927 IST), Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao
said in New Delhi.

This was the second attack on the Indian mission here as
last year a suicide car bomber had rammed the front wall of
the Indian Embassy, killing 60 people in the strike blamed on
Taliban militants linked to Pakistan's intelligence service
ISI. (MORE) PTI