A suicide bomber attacked a British embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital yesterday, killing five people, including one Briton, the ministry of interior said.
The blast in the east of Kabul wounded 33 people, including many bystanders, the latest in a wave of bombings to hit Kabul as the majority of foreign combat troops prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.
Taliban insurgents, who were ousted from power by a US-led coalition in 2001, claimed responsibility for the attack saying it “targeted foreign invading forces.”
Attacks targeting foreign embassy personnel are less common than the near-daily bombings striking Afghan and international military forces on the country’s roads.
The British embassy confirmed there were injuries among those in the vehicle, but did not comment on the reported death.
“I can confirm it was a British vehicle and there are some injuries. We are working with the Afghan authorities,” said the spokesman, who asked not to be identified.
A Western security source said one of the British employees traveling in the vehicle had died in hospital, while a second Briton was wounded and in stable condition.
A Reuters witness saw at least one survivor being led away from the charred shell of the vehicle on foot by a member of the British security force.
The interior ministry initially reported the blast was caused by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, but later said attacker was traveling by car.
The Afghan capital has been hit by a wave of attacks in recent weeks and Thursday’s bombing was at least the fourth since Monday, when two American soldiers were killed in a powerful blast close to the airport.
While not common, attacks against diplomatic missions and personnel in Afghanistan show a determination to target anyone associated with the US-led mission.
A 25-year-old American diplomat was killed last year in an attack on a convoy in the country’s east.
The Indian consulate in the western province of Herat was attacked in May by insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests. Last year, the US consulate in Herat was also attacked with a truck bomb.
