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Kabul blast: Suicide bomber kills seven media personnel | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A suicide bomber driving a car has killed seven media personnel on a bus transporting TV and radio staff in the centre of the Afghan capital Kabul. | |
More than 20 others - including passers-by - were wounded. | More than 20 others - including passers-by - were wounded. |
The explosion sent black smoke billowing into the sky, with emergency services rushing to the scene. | The explosion sent black smoke billowing into the sky, with emergency services rushing to the scene. |
No group has said it carried out the attack, but the Taliban will be the main suspects. The militants have launched numerous attacks in the city. | |
Since the beginning of 2016, Kabul has been hit by at least at least six bomb attacks - in the most recent on Sunday a rocket landed near the Italian embassy, wounding two security guards. The Indian and Pakistani missions have also recently been targeted in other parts of the country. | |
The bomb was detonated by a man driving a car who targeted the bus in central Kabul. | |
Employees of the Kaboora media group were on the vehicle, including representatives from Tolo TV and Tolo News. | Employees of the Kaboora media group were on the vehicle, including representatives from Tolo TV and Tolo News. |
"Unfortunately, in the terrorist attack today in Darulaman Road in Kabul, we lost seven staff members," Tolo TV tweeted. | "Unfortunately, in the terrorist attack today in Darulaman Road in Kabul, we lost seven staff members," Tolo TV tweeted. |
A Tolo TV reporter told the BBC's Kawoon Khamoosh he was fortunate to be alive after nearly being burnt to death. | A Tolo TV reporter told the BBC's Kawoon Khamoosh he was fortunate to be alive after nearly being burnt to death. |
Another representative from the news section of the channel said that several of his colleagues are among the wounded who had been transferred to a hospital close to the attack site. | Another representative from the news section of the channel said that several of his colleagues are among the wounded who had been transferred to a hospital close to the attack site. |
Our correspondent says that Wednesday's attack came a few months after the Taliban announced that Tolo TV and 1TV would be among their targets. | Our correspondent says that Wednesday's attack came a few months after the Taliban announced that Tolo TV and 1TV would be among their targets. |
The militants were angered by media coverage of fighting in an around the strategic city of Kunduz. | |
Tolo TV had implemented tighter security measures in recent months. | Tolo TV had implemented tighter security measures in recent months. |
Early reports suggested the Russian embassy might have been struck, before it emerged that media workers were the target. | |
A Russian foreign ministry source told the Interfax news agency that the attack had caused only minimal damage to its nearby embassy. | A Russian foreign ministry source told the Interfax news agency that the attack had caused only minimal damage to its nearby embassy. |
Last week at least seven Afghan security personnel were killed in a gun battle near the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. | Last week at least seven Afghan security personnel were killed in a gun battle near the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. |
Observers have speculated that the attacks near foreign missions could also be aimed at destabilising attempts to revive peace talks with the Taliban. | |