Seven killed hundreds wounded in Kabul bombing claimed by Taliban

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – At least seven people were killed and 300 wounded in an apparent suicide car bombing in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Tuesday.

The blast, which occurred in the early morning, targeted the office of the security entourage that protects government officials and VIPs, CNN reported, quoting local sources.

It said that the Afghan Taliban, an extremist Islamic group in Afghanistan that is waging war with the US-backed government, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"First a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden lorry on the gate of the department and then other armed attackers went in and started shooting on the rest of the enemies," the Taliban said in a statement.

At least one armed assailant was shot dead after police were given instructions to shoot-to-kill suspected Taliban in the area, but an interior ministry official said the search was on for two more suspects.

CNN quoted witnesses as saying they had continued to hear gunfire after the blast.

"President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemned the terrorist attack in Pule Mahmood Khan area, Kabul, which martyred and injured a number of Afghan innocent civilians in strongest terms," a statement released by the president's office said.

"Today's terrorist attack near Pul-e-Mahmud Khan, #Kabul clearly shows the enemy's defeat in face-to-face battle with (Afghan National Defence and Security Forces)," Ghani tweeted on his office's official account.

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