12 dead in blast near Afghan defence ministry

Kabul, February 27

A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up near the Afghan defence ministry in Kabul on Saturday, causing heavy casualties just hours after an attack in the eastern province of Kunar killed 13 people and put prospects for new peace talks in doubt.

The attack in Kabul, which occurred as defence ministry workers were leaving their offices, killed 12 people and wounded eight, according to a ministry statement.

Witnesses at the scene, where a large plume of smoke spiralled into the sky, said they had seen a number of bodies on the ground. The area was sealed off as police and army vehicles surrounded the blast site.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack which the movement’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said killed 23 officers and wounded 29 others. He said there were no civilian casualties. — Reuters