Many dead in huge Afghan explosion

Sunday 29 August 2004, 18:54 Makka Time, 15:54 GMT
Several people, including three American police trainers, have been killed in a powerful blast in the Afghan capital.

The blast was caused by explosive devices in a truck in Kabul's Shar-i-Naw district where dozens of aid agencies are based, according to witnesses.

Aljazeera's correspondent in Kabul, Wali Allah Shahin, said the explosion was thought to have targeted the US Anti-Terrorism centre in Kabul and about 20 people, mostly Afghan guards, were killed in the attack.

He said six US Embassy cars were blown up in the blast on Sunday afternoon.

In a phone message to Aljazeera, Taliban officials claimed their group was behind the attack. They Taliban operative was killed carrying out the attack.

"We received two phone calls from two Taliban spokespersons - Mulla Janan and Mulla Hakim - who claimed the movement's responsibility for the blast and regretted the injuries inflicted on some Afghan people who were accidentally passing by the area," said Aljazeera's Kabul correspondent, Mazin Aman Allah.

Dead bodies

Following the blast, fire and smoke could be seen rising from the area which was cordoned off by Afghan forces.

An interior ministry official said the explosion happened beside the office of the International Organisation for Migration, but did not have any more details.

Residents said they saw several dead bodies lying on the ground as ambulances rushed to the area to transfer injured people to hospitals for treatment.

A police official said another bomb was found near the site of the explosion and security forces were trying to defuse it.

Shahin also reported that an Aljazeera cameraman was beaten up by US troops in the area, although US officials have yet to respond to the allegation.