2 dead as bomber targets Turkish vehicle

KABUL (Pajhwok): A Turkish soldier and an Afghan civilian were killed and a second Turkish citizen was wounded when a suicide bomber in a car targeted a Turkish forces convoy in the heavily-fortified capital Kabul on Thursday, security officials said.

Lt. Gen. Abdur Rahman Rahimi, Kabul police chief, told reporters the attack was carried out through a Corolla car that left one Turkish soldier and one Afghan passer-by dead.

But Mohammad Fahim, an eyewitness, told Pajhwok Afghan News he saw four wounded persons being evacuated to hospital. He said it was a powerful blast that destroyed a Turkish vehicle near the Iranian Embassy and probably all aboard were killed.

Deputy Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Ayub Salangi earlier told reporters at the scene that the attacker was in a Toyota sedan and he targeted two vehicles of Turkish forces in the upscale Shahr-e-Naw locality.   

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with the group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying foreign forces suffered heavy casualties in the suicide attack.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu condemned the suicide attack and said that Turkey will never give up its determined stance in fighting against terrorism to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Davutoğlu noted the perpetrators had made various statements about the real target of the attacks, saying that Turkey and Turkish people were not the target.

“Regardless of its form, Turkey curses the ones who carried out this flagrant attack” Davutoğlu said, adding that Turkey expects the perpetrators to receive punishment for their heinous act.

Witnesses said the area was cordoned off after the blast that sent a column of black smoke rising into sky everywhere and left debris strewn in the road and nearby blast walls spattered with blood.

mds/rm/ma

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