A Taliban suicide car bomber has targeted a van carrying employees working for a private Afghan television channel, killing seven people during evening rush hour close to the Russian embassy.
The attack on Wednesday was the latest in a series of suicide bombings in the Afghan capital that coincide with renewed efforts to revive a peace process with Taliban insurgents that broke down in July.
In a statement emailed to Al Jazeera, the Taliban said it was responsible for the attack.
The car bomber targeted a vehicle owned by Kaboora production company affiliated with TOLO News, Afghanistan’s first 24-hour news channel, Kabul Police Chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters.
TOLO News has confirmed in a live news broadcast that the bus was Kaboora’s and that six of their staff members were killed. The identity of the seventh fatality is unknown.
At least 20 people were wounded in the bombing, including women and children, Ministry of Public Health spokesman Ismail Kawusi said.
Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah condemned the attack and said he had drawn up plans for more security.
“I have also advised security forces to provide security for media outlets and journalists.”
A witness earlier told Al Jazeera that the suicide bomber rammed his motorbike on the vehicle before detonating himself. But authorities later said the suicide attacker was in a car.
The bus was taking employees home from the company’s office in central Kabul when the attack took place, at around 5 pm local time.
The attack happened during rush hour along a busy road leading to the country’s parliament.
Taliban threats
Rajab Noorzayi told the Associated Press news agency that his daughter Zeinab worked for Kaboora and was on the bus at the time of the attack.
“I’m looking for her but the police say everyone has been taken to hospital,” he said.
So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
But last year, the Taliban openly threatened to target the television channel after it reported allegations of summary executions, rape, kidnappings and other abuses by its fighters during the battle for Kunduz.
A Russian Foreign Ministry source told Interfax news agency that the attack was not directed at its embassy, according to a Reuters report.
Since the start of 2016, Kabul has seen at least six bomb attacks. On Sunday, a rocket landed near the Italian embassy in Kabul, wounding two security guards.
Representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States met in Kabul this week to lay the ground for a negotiated end to 15 years of war, and urged the armed group Taliban to join peace talks.
Separately on Wednesday, the US government issued a warning that it had received reports of armed groups planning to attack a hotel or guesthouse frequented by foreigners in Kabul.
There was no further information regarding the timing, location or method of attack, the statement said.
Source: Al Jazeera
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