Kabul car bombing kills at least 18, including 5 U.S. troops
In the worst attack in Kabul in recent weeks, a suicide bomber drove his car into a U.S. military convoy and detonated his payload on Tuesday morning. The attack killed at least 18 people -- twelve Afghans and six troops from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), including 5 American soldiers. The nationality of the sixth soldier has yet to be confirmed. The blast occurred on a crowded thoroughfare during rush-hour traffic. Many of the Afghan casualties occurred aboard a public bus caught in the blast. Approximately 50 people were also injured in the attack.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call with the Associated Press. He stated that the bomber had packed his car with 1,650 pounds of explosives, and had targeted the military convoy. Mujahid said the attack managed to "destroy five foreign vehicles and damage one more." The Taliban also confirmed that they were behind the attack with a posting on its website, which stated that the attacker was a Kabul resident named Nizamuddin.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C., referred to the attack as "heartbreaking" in a nationally televised news conference. "I hope Afghanistan will soon get out of this suffering, God willing," he said.
U.S. officials to Pakistan: National security team to Pakistan: U.S. President Barack Obama's national security advisor, Jim Jones, and CIA Director Leon Panetta were scheduled to travel to Pakistan on Monday night to discuss developments in the case of the failed Times Square bombing with Pakistani officials.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call with the Associated Press. He stated that the bomber had packed his car with 1,650 pounds of explosives, and had targeted the military convoy. Mujahid said the attack managed to "destroy five foreign vehicles and damage one more." The Taliban also confirmed that they were behind the attack with a posting on its website, which stated that the attacker was a Kabul resident named Nizamuddin.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C., referred to the attack as "heartbreaking" in a nationally televised news conference. "I hope Afghanistan will soon get out of this suffering, God willing," he said.
U.S. officials to Pakistan: National security team to Pakistan: U.S. President Barack Obama's national security advisor, Jim Jones, and CIA Director Leon Panetta were scheduled to travel to Pakistan on Monday night to discuss developments in the case of the failed Times Square bombing with Pakistani officials.
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