Kabul airport suicide attack leaves 5 dead, 16 hurt

KABUL (Pajhwok): Five people were killed and 16 others wounded -- some of them seriously -- when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Monday, an official said.

Police chief Lt. Col. Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters all victims were civilians. Three children were among the wounded, he said, adding the a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car in front of the airport entrance.

He said security officials escaped unhurt in the blast aimed at spreading chaos and terror among the people.

Victim of the blast, Najib Danish, said were civilians and military personnel. Najibullah Mayar, spokesman of the Ministry of Health confirmed four dead and 17 injured had been brought in to the hospital.

Lutfullah, an eyewitness, told Pajhwok Afghan News the blast occurred around 12:00pm. Many vehicles had been damaged in the powerful bombing and glasses of local stores smashed.

He said security forces were near the area but none of them was allowed to visit the site. Ambulances, he added, were evacuating the wounded to hospitals.

As usual, Taliban claimed credit for the blast and said two armoured vehicles with foreigners onboard had been destroyed. The group also claimed a number of Afghan forces had also been killed in the bombing carried out by one of its fighters.

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