Suicide bomber strikes
Turkish soldiers photograph a vehicle at the scene of a suicide attack in Kabul on Thursday. A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle laden with explosives into a Turkish embassy car in the Afghan capital, killing three people and wounding another.
A suicide bomber driving a car packed with explosives targeted a Turkish embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital during the Thursday morning rush hour, killing three people and wounding another.
The Turkish military said the attack targeted a vehicle carrying a team tasked with protecting Ambassador Ismail Aramaz, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan. One Turkish soldier, an Afghan passer-by and the attacker were killed and another Turkish soldier was wounded.
The blast took place outside the gate of the Iranian embassy, which is adjacent to the Turkish mission in the center of Kabul.
The Taliban swiftly claimed responsibility but appeared to have mistaken the Turkish security team for a US convoy, clarifying on Twitter that they had not intended to kill any other country’s citizens.
“The purpose of today’s attack in Kabul was a convoy of US troops. The embassy or any other country nationals were not objective,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted.
Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai gave details of the attack and death toll, saying the bomber was driving a Toyota Corolla.
Associated Press television footage showed two black armored vehicles bearing Turkish diplomatic plates and at least one wounded person being carried from a car.
Peace talks
It is the first major attack in Kabul’s heavily secured center since early January, when a suicide bomber hit a European Union police vehicle.
It is also the first known attack on a Turkish target in the Afghan capital.
Insurgent attacks in the capital have been intermittent in recent months as winter has closed in, limiting access for militants who are believed to be based across the mountainous border in Pakistan.
The Afghan government hopes to open a dialogue with the Taliban’s leadership in the near future, which could lead to peace talks in the coming year or two, officials and diplomats have said.
Insurgents are expected to intensify their attacks in order to enter any talks from a position of strength.
NATO ended its combat mission in late December, leaving a residual force to carry on a training and support mission to Afghanistan’s 350,000 secu- rity forces, who now lead the fight against the Taliban.