Embassy bomb horror
90 are killed in IS truck blast at diplomatic zone in Kabul
at least 90 people were killed yesterday when a truck bomb ripped through a heavilyp-rotected diplomatic area of Kabul.
Dozens of British troops rushed to the scene, near Western embassies in the afghan capital’s Green Zone, to help the hundreds of wounded.
Islamic State is believed to have carried out the attack, the deadliest in the city since a suicide bomber killed nearly 100 at a protest last summer.
Most of the 463 casualties in yesterday’s bombing were afghan civilians but 11 US citizens were also among the injured. the bomb exploded during morning rush-hour close to the German embassy, where a number of staff were injured. France said its embassy was also damaged.
among those killed was an afghan driver for the BBC, Mohammed Nazir, who was in his late 30s and had a young family. Four journalists were wounded.
One diplomatic source said that the bomb, hidden in a sewage tanker, carried more than 3,000lb of explosives.
the attack – which comes during the holy festival of Ramadan – was one of the largest to hit Kabul since the start of foreign military intervention in 2001. Some 500 UK troops are stationed in the city carrying out training and security operations.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson posted on twitter: ‘appalled by Kabul explosion during Ramadan. I condemn those behind this cruel attack.’
tajuden Soroush, a BBC World Service producer, spoke of the moment his car was caught up in the explosion and driver Mr Nazir was killed. He said: ‘Our car was ten metres away from the explosion.
‘the power of the explosion was just massive, and thou- sands of metres away glass in homes was broken, but I am alive. It is luck.’
Veteran BBC foreign affairs editor John Simpson wrote of Mr Nazir: ‘a good, decent, brave man’s life snuffed out for no reason.’
along with foreign embassies, the area contains key compounds and offices used by Westerners. Official buildings stand behind fortified walls, but the road where the bomb detonated is open to the public.
the massive blast left a huge crater and destroyed or damaged more than 30 vehicles. Windows were shattered up to a mile away.
troops from the Royal Irish Regiment were deployed to the scene immediately and stayed within the Green Zone. afghan forces helped secure other sectors.