KABUL, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Afghan security forces ended an 11-hour standoff in central Kabul on Tuesday, killing the last gunman holding out after an attack that began when a car bomber blew himself up in a prosperous business and residential area.

Police sealed off the centre of the city as they battled three attackers who barricaded themselves inside an office of the aid group Care International.

After hours of standoff, interrupted occasionally by sporadic gunfire, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said Afghan special forces had killed all those involved in the attack in the Share Naw area of Kabul.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which took place just hours after Taliban suicide bombers killed at least 24 people near the Defence Ministry, including a number of senior security officials.

Initial casualty reports suggested one person had been killed and six injured while more than 31 people were evacuated.

The attacks highlighted the precarious security in the capital just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan.

After several hours of quiet overnight, gunfire and explosions could be heard as day broke.

Rafi Ullah, a security guard near the Care International office was walking in the area when the explosion occurred.

"Right after the explosion, a huge flame rose and everything was covered with smoke, and then Afghan security forces arrived and blocked the area," he said.

City traffic was blocked in several places and schools in the vicinity were closed.

Hours before the attack in Share Naw late on Monday, at least 24 people were killed and 91 wounded when twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area close to the Defence Ministry.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defence Ministry official said. Another official said the deputy head of President Ashraf Ghani's personal protection force had also been killed.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people. It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

The Taliban's ability to conduct coordinated attacks in Kabul has piled pressure on the Western-backed government, which has struggled to reassure a war-weary population that it can guarantee security.

Afghanistan's foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw.

Outside Kabul, the insurgents have stepped up their military campaign, threatening towns including Lashkar Gah, capital of the strategic southern province of Helmand, as well as Kunduz, the northern city they briefly took last year. (Additional reporting by Sayed Hassib; Writing by James Mackenzie, Rupam Jain; Editing by Nick Macfie, Robert Birsel)</s></s>KABUL (Reuters) - A car bomb hit the center of Kabul late on Monday, just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defense Ministry killed at least 24 people including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

Gunmen who followed the initial attack appeared to have barricaded themselves into a building and security forces blocked off a large area in the city center.

After several hours of quiet overnight, sporadic gunfire and explosions could be heard as day broke but there was no immediate comment on the operation from police and no claim of responsibility.

Just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan, the attacks highlighted the precarious security climate in the capital.

Earlier on Monday, twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area of the city close to the Defense Ministry.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

“When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people,” said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defense Ministry official said. Another official said the deputy head of President Ashraf Ghani’s personal protection force had also been killed.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

Slideshow (5 Images)

The Taliban’s ability to conduct coordinated high profile attacks in the capital Kabul has piled pressure on the Western-backed government, which has struggled to reassure a war-weary population that it can guarantee security.

Afghanistan’s foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw.

Outside Kabul, the insurgents have stepped up their military campaign, threatening Laskkar Gah, capital of the strategic southern province of Helmand as well as Kunduz, the northern city they briefly took last year.</s>Explosions in Afghan capital Kabul kill at least 24

KABUL, Sept 5 (Reuters) - A loud explosion hit the centre of Kabul late on Monday, just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people, including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

Sporadic gunfire could be heard in an area with many shops and businesses and initial reports suggested that a guesthouse had been targeted.

Glass from shattered windows lay on the street near the explosion but police sealed off the area but there was no immediate claim of responsibility and no word on any casualties.

Just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan, the attacks highlighted the precarious security climate in the capital.

Earlier on Monday, twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area of the city close to the Defence Ministry.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

"When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people," said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defence Ministry official said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said killed 58 officers and commanders. The militants have stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government in recent weeks, following a brief lull after the death of their former leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

Afghanistan's foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw. (Additional reporting by Sayed Hassib; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams)</s>The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

A loud explosion hit the centre of Kabul late on Monday, hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people, including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

Sporadic gunfire could be heard in an area of the city near to embassies and government buildings, including the Interior Ministry but there was no immediate claim of responsibility and no word on any casualties.

Earlier, twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area of the city close to the Defence Ministry.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

“When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people,” said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defence Ministry official said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said killed 58 officers and commanders. The militants have stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government in recent weeks, following a brief lull after the death of their former leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

Government officials have been preparing for a conference in Brussels next month at which foreign donors, concerned about the ability of the Afghan security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge continuing support over coming years.</s>KABUL， Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power have claimed responsibility for twin blasts that went off near the fortified defense ministry on Monday claiming 24 lives besides injuring 91 others including security personnel and civilians.

In the deadly incidents， according to the spokesman for Public Health Ministry， Ismael Kawusi， two dozen people have lost their lives and more than 90 injured who have been taken to hospitals for medical treatment.

"Based on the latest information collected from concerned sources and hospitals， 24 people including civilians and security personnel were killed and 91 others injured in the twin blasts that hit near defense ministry today afternoon，" Kawusi told Xinhua.

However， eyewitnesses believed that the casualties might go higher than reported by officials.

Meantime， Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi in talks with media has confirmed that one police officer is also among those killed in the deadly attacks.

According to Sediqi， an explosive device went off in front of the second police district， which is next to defense ministry， causing casualties， and when security personnel rushed to the site of the blast to rescue the injured people， a suicide bomber blew himself up killing and injuring people at nearby.

The twin blasts occurred at 03:30 p.m. local time when the employees of defense ministry were coming out from the gate after their duties.

Defense Ministry is located next to the Finance Ministry， the Presidential Palace， and the Petroleum and Mines Ministry among other government buildings.

A busy road is located in front of the Defense Ministry， where hundreds of civilian vehicles and pedestrians travel to the downtown city.

This is the third terrorist attack conducted by militant groups on the same road against defense ministry over the past couple of years.

Zabihullah Majahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit， in contact with media claimed responsibility for the twin attacks， insisting huge casualties inflicted to the personnel of defense ministry.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in a statement released by his office blamed the "enemies of Afghanistan" for organizing the deadly bombings and condemned it with strongest term.

Meantime， local observers blamed security lapse for the deadly double bombings， saying that security slips would enable Taliban and associated groups to conduct subversive activities even in the fortified capital city Kabul.</s>Attacks in Afghan capital kill at least 24

KABUL, Sept 6 (Reuters) - A car bomb hit the centre of Kabul late on Monday, just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

Gunmen who followed the initial attack appeared to have barricaded themselves into a building and security forces blocked off a large area in the city centre.

After several hours of quiet overnight, sporadic gunfire and explosions could be heard as day broke but there was no immediate comment on the operation from police and no claim of responsibility.

Just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan, the attacks highlighted the precarious security climate in the capital.

Earlier on Monday, twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area of the city close to the Defence Ministry.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

"When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people," said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defence Ministry official said. Another official said the deputy head of President Ashraf Ghani's personal protection force had also been killed.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

The Taliban's ability to conduct coordinated high profile attacks in the capital Kabul has piled pressure on the Western-backed government, which has struggled to reassure a war-weary population that it can guarantee security.

Afghanistan's foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw.

Outside Kabul, the insurgents have stepped up their military campaign, threatening Laskkar Gah, capital of the strategic southern province of Helmand as well as Kunduz, the northern city they briefly took last year. (Additional reporting by Sayed Hassib; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Alison Williams, Sandra Maler and Michael Perry)</s>Image copyright Reuters Image caption The attack on Monday is the latest in a series of militant bombings of Kabul in recent months

Twin bomb blasts in the Afghan capital Kabul have killed at least 24 people and injured 91 others near the defence ministry, officials say.

The first bomb was detonated remotely while the second was triggered by a suicide bomber, local media reported.

An army general and two senior police officers are among the dead, a ministry of defence spokesperson told the BBC.

The Taliban, who have carried out frequent attacks in Kabul, claimed the blasts.

Deputy defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish told the Associated Press news agency that the suicide attacker struck as security forces gathered near the ministry to deal with the first blast.

As night fell, another loud explosion was heard in Kabul, followed by gunfire. There was no immediate word on the cause of the blast or details of any casualties.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Police and the security services have now secured the area of the blasts

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The emergency services rushed to treat numerous injured people

Image copyright AP Image caption The area of the attack is now being cleared up by fire fighters

Civilians, police and soldiers were all killed in the earlier blasts as ministry employees were leaving work at rush hour.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack saying it had been carried out by "the enemies of Afghanistan who have lost their ability to fight the security and defence forces".

He said that "the aim of the terrorists is to spread fear".

An Italian-run emergency hospital in Kabul tweeted that it was treating 21 injured people, four of whom died on arrival.

The attack comes 11 days after 13 people, including seven students, died in an attack by gunmen on the American University in Kabul.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Scores of the injured were rushed to hospital in the aftermath of the blasts

In August two foreign professors, one from the US and one from Australia, were kidnapped by armed men near the university.

No group has admitted responsibility and their whereabouts are still unknown. Several other foreigners have been kidnapped in recent times.

In July a suicide bomber from the self-styled Islamic State (IS) targeted a protest march by members of the Shia Hazara minority in Kabul, killing 80 people. Shia Muslims are reviled by IS.

The upsurge in violence in the capital comes as the Taliban also strives to increase its presence nationally, making an already uncertain security situation even worse since Nato forces ended their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

The militants are now threatening to capture Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand, in addition to the northern city of Kunduz - which they briefly captured last year in their biggest military offensive since the US-led 2001 invasion.</s>Afghan security forces sealed off the centre of Kabul on Tuesday as they battled gunmen who barricaded themselves inside the offices of an international aid group after a car bomb attack on Monday night.

The attack in a prosperous business and residential area of the capital took place just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people, including a number of senior security officials.

Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police Criminal Investigation Department, said one of the two gunmen who had entered an office of Care International in Kabul had been killed but another was holding out.

“We have rescued several families from the area,” he said.

The attacks highlighted the precarious security climate in the capital just a month before a conference in Brussels where international donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan.

After several hours of quiet overnight, sporadic gunfire and explosions could be heard as day broke. Security officials evacuated terrified civilians from their offices and homes near the explosion site.

An Interior Ministry official said initial reports indicated one person had been killed and six wounded in the attack, with 31 people rescued from the area.

Kabul traffic was blocked in several parts of the city and schools in the area were closed.

On Monday, 24 people were killed and 91 wounded when twin blasts in quick succession tore through an afternoon crowd in a bustling area of the city close to the Defence Ministry.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for that attack, in which a suicide bomber caught security forces personnel and civilians who rushed to help victims of the first explosion.

“When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people,” said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a Defence Ministry official said. Another official said the deputy head of President Ashraf Ghani’s personal protection force had also been killed.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

The Taliban’s ability to conduct coordinated high profile attacks in Kabul has piled pressure on the Western-backed government, which has struggled to reassure a war-weary population that it can guarantee security.

Afghanistan’s foreign partners, concerned about the ability of the security forces to withstand Taliban violence, are expected to pledge support over coming years at the Brussels conference, three months after NATO members reaffirmed their commitment at a meeting in Warsaw.

Outside Kabul, the insurgents have stepped up their military campaign, threatening Lashkar Gah, capital of the strategic southern province of Helmand, as well as Kunduz, the northern city they briefly took last year.</s>Dozens of people have been killed after a Taliban suicide attack in Kabul - with a second blast aimed at those helping the wounded.

Two explosions in quick succession went off near the defence ministry in the Afghan capital, killing at least 24 people - including security officials - and wounding 91.

A witness described how the second blast ripped through a crowd of troops, police and civilians who had rushed to the busy area, near a market and a main junction.

'When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people,' said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.

The casualty total may increase as more information becomes available, said Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the public health ministry.

An army general and two senior police commanders were among the dead, a defence ministry official said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said killed 58 officers and commanders.

The militants have stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government in recent weeks, following a brief lull after the death of their former leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people.

It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since at least 80 people were killed by a suicide bomber who targeted a demonstration on July 23.

That assault was claimed by Islamic State.

Government officials have been preparing for a conference in Brussels next month.

This is expected to see foreign donors pledge continuing support over coming years in the light of Afghanistan's security forces to withstand terrorist violence.
Two successive suicide bombers on foot kill at least 24 people and injure 91 others, including senior security and police officials, after striking close to the Afghan Ministry of Defence in Kabul. The Taliban claims responsibility by disclosing the death of 58 officers and commanders. Another bombing took place not long after.