Deadly blast shakes NATO HQ in Kabul

[joeblow]

Deadly blast shakes NATO HQ in Kabul

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A body is rushed from the scene of the blast in front of the main gate of NATO headquarters Saturday morning in Kabul, Afghanistan. (NYT photo)

A car bomb explosion outside NATO headquarters has rocked the Afghan capital, killing seven people and wounding 91 others as the country prepares for a presidential election.

The explosion, at the main gate of the NATO compound, occurred about 8:30 a.m. local time in a heavily fortified area that also includes the US embassy and the Afghan presidential palace, the Telegraph reported.

"It was a suicide bombing carried out in a car right in front of ISAF [International Security Assistance Force]. So far we have three dead, and 14 wounded, and we have evacuated them to the military hospital," Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi told reporters on Saturday.

Our correspondent, however, put the number of casualties at seven dead and 91 wounded. A security source in Kabul told Press TV that a number of NATO soldiers were injured in the attack while a few Afghan forces were killed.

Another security source said Hawa Alam Noorestani, an Afghan lawmaker, was killed in the attack.

The Taliban has reportedly taken responsibility for the blast which came only five days before the crucial presidential and provincial council elections.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said 500 kg of explosive materials were used in the attack. He claimed that at least 22 foreign soldiers were killed in the blast, which destroyed 8 vehicles and damaged nearby buildings.

President Hamid Karzai, who is ahead according to the latest polls, is seeking a second term in the election that has been denounced by the Taliban as an "American process," the Washington Post reported.

Civilians have been the main victims in the increasing violence as the August 20 polls near.

A recent UN report on Afghanistan blames both indiscriminate US air strikes and insurgent bombings for the high number of civilian casualties in the country.

MVZ/DT/MD