Explosion rocks Afghan capital Kabul, casualties feared

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the country’s Interior Ministry, said: “It was a suicide bombing against a foreign forces convoy in a crowded part of the city and there are casualties”. There has been no immediate information about the number of casualties. “A loud explosion was heard in Kabul reportedly of a suicide attack against foreign army convoy”, the private media outlet reported.

The attack took place in the Juy-e-Shir district of Kabul near a market at about 9:20 a.m., witnesses say.

According to Tolo News, security forces have reached the site of the attack and have cordon-off the area. No casualties were immediately reported from the bombing, which sent a thick plume of smoke rising into the sky, as the Taliban ramp up attacks on government and foreign targets.

The USA has been supporting Afghan forces in an offensive to retake the northern city of Kunduz from the Taliban, which seized control of the northern city late last month.

Most North Atlantic Treaty Organisation combat troops pulled out of Afghanistan past year but a small contingent focused on training and counter-terrorism operations remains, including roughly 10,000 American soldiers.