This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/world/asia/blast-hits-kabul-shortly-after-hagel-arrives.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Blast Hits Kabul Shortly After Hagel Arrives | Blast Hits Kabul Shortly After Hagel Arrives |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber wearing a vest bomb detonated the device outside the Afghan defense ministry Saturday, killing at least nine people in a blast just hours after Chuck Hagel, the new United States defense secretary, arrived in Kabul. | KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber wearing a vest bomb detonated the device outside the Afghan defense ministry Saturday, killing at least nine people in a blast just hours after Chuck Hagel, the new United States defense secretary, arrived in Kabul. |
| Mr. Hagel was not in the site of the blast at the time, although the incident seemed timed to coincide with his visit and underscored how the heavily secured capital was still vulnernable to attacks by people intent on setting off bombs. | Mr. Hagel was not in the site of the blast at the time, although the incident seemed timed to coincide with his visit and underscored how the heavily secured capital was still vulnernable to attacks by people intent on setting off bombs. |
| The defense ministry said that in addition to the nine people killed, fourteen others were wounded, including two Afghan National Army officers. | The defense ministry said that in addition to the nine people killed, fourteen others were wounded, including two Afghan National Army officers. |
| The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack at the ministry. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman for northern and eastern Afghanistan, said the bomber was from Kandahar, and he denied that any civilians had been killed or wounded. | The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack at the ministry. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman for northern and eastern Afghanistan, said the bomber was from Kandahar, and he denied that any civilians had been killed or wounded. |
| The Taliban have pledged repeatedly not to harm civilians, but according to the most recent United Nations report on civilian casualties the Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 81 percent of the 2,754 civilian deaths and injuries in the Afghan conflict in 2012. | The Taliban have pledged repeatedly not to harm civilians, but according to the most recent United Nations report on civilian casualties the Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 81 percent of the 2,754 civilian deaths and injuries in the Afghan conflict in 2012. |
| In a separate attack less than an hour later, in Khost in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan policeman and eight civilians were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint. Most of the civilian victims were said to be children. | |
| In the Kabul attack, the defense ministry said the explosion, which took place near the entrance to the building, occurred at 8:54 a.m. The explosion, which was followed by heavy gunfire, occurred just as Kabul residents were going to work and streets were busy with people on foot, motorcycles and in cars. | |
| As soon as the bomb exploded, the defense ministry locked down its large compound so that even employees could not go out to see the damage, said a colonel in the operations department who was reached by telephone. He said the explosion was at an area that is usually busy with people entering and leaving the ministry compound. | As soon as the bomb exploded, the defense ministry locked down its large compound so that even employees could not go out to see the damage, said a colonel in the operations department who was reached by telephone. He said the explosion was at an area that is usually busy with people entering and leaving the ministry compound. |
Thom Shanker in Kabul and Jawad Sukhanyar contributed reporting. | Thom Shanker in Kabul and Jawad Sukhanyar contributed reporting. |