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Powerful Explosion Rocks Kabul, Dozens Wounded

by Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD --

   A suicide car bomb Saturday ripped through a crowded area outside a
   government building in Kabul, Afghanistan.

   Health Ministry spokesman Waheed Majroah confirmed to local media that
   the death toll has risen to at least 40, with more than 140 wounded.

   Thick, dark smoke could be seen rising into the sky from the central
   part of the capital following the explosion near the old Afghan
   Interior Ministry building, witnesses said.

   An Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman, Nasrat Rahimi, earlier confirmed
   casualties to VOA, saying the bomber used an explosives-filled
   ambulance to carry out the attack in an area where civilians had
   gathered in large number.

   The Taliban instantly took responsibility for plotting the attack. A
   spokesman for the insurgent group said the target was a crowd of
   personnel of the Afghan security force.

   The deadly bombing came a week after five heavily armed Taliban suicide
   bombers stormed Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel in a highly secured part
   of the city. The raid killed at least 22 people, including 14
   foreigners. At least four Americans were among the dead.

   Back-to-back attacks in heavily guarded parts of the city have raised
   severe criticism of the authorities for failing to prevent the
   violence.

   "Over the years, this area has been attacked by suicide bombers.
   Constant intelligence and security failures, which should not be
   acceptable by any stretch of imagination. A national debate must start
   on how we can get this right," Bilal Sarwary, senior Afghan journalist,
   wrote on his official Twitter account.

   Saturday's blast came just hours after a suicide bomber detonated his
   explosives-filled car outside a military base in the restive southern
   province of Helmand. The explosion in the Nad Ali district wounded at
   least six government forces, officials said.

   The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the attack left several
   soldiers dead, though insurgent claims are often inflated.