KABUL (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Wednesday that killed eight civilians in an attack on a convoy of NATO armored personnel vehicles.

The blast hit the convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest parts of Kabul. Public health officials said eight civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded, with a number of civilian vehicles that were near the convoy destroyed or badly damaged.

A spokesman for the U.S.-led NATO mission, U.S. Navy Captain Bill Salvin, said three U.S. service members were wounded in the attack. The vehicles, which are designed to withstand big blasts, were able to return to a base under their own power, he said.

In a statement on its Amaq news agency, Islamic State said a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged car as the convoy passed near the U.S. embassy.

Related Coverage Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on NATO convoy in Kabul

Although the Afghan branch of Islamic State operates largely in the eastern province of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan, the movement has also claimed a string of suicide attacks in Kabul.

Witnesses said traces of blood and clothing could be seen on the ground at the blast site.

The heavily armored MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles that foreign forces use to travel in Kabul appeared to have suffered only relatively minor external damage, witnesses said.</s>A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday killed eight people and wounded at least 28, officials said, in an attack on a convoy of armoured personnel carriers used by the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

KABUL: A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday killed eight people and wounded at least 28, officials said, in an attack on a convoy of armoured personnel carriers used by the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

The blast hit the NATO coalition convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest areas of Kabul. Public health officials in the capital said eight civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded, with a number of civilian vehicles that were near the convoy destroyed or badly damaged.

A Resolute Support Spokesman, U.S. Navy Captain Bill Salvin, said three U.S. service members were wounded in the attack. The armoured personnel carriers, which are designed to withstand large blasts, were able to return to a coalition base under their own power, he said.

The attack follows a threat by the Taliban to target foreign forces in the spring offensive that it launched last week.

Witnesses said traces of blood and clothing could be seen on the ground at the blast site. Kabul television stations earlier reported that at least three people had been killed.

The heavily armoured MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles that coalition forces use to travel in Kabul appeared to have suffered only relatively minor external damage, witnesses said.</s>At least eight civilians were killed early Wednesday in a suicide attack against a military convoy, which was near the U.S. embassy and NATO compound in Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. Navy Capt.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Fox News.</s>A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul has killed eight people and wounded at least 28, officials said, in an attack on a Nato convoy of armoured personnel carriers.



The blast hit the convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest areas of Kabul. Public health officials in the capital said eight civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded, with a number of civilian vehicles that were near the convoy destroyed or badly damaged.

A Nato spokesman, US Navy captain Bill Salvin, said three US service members were wounded in the attack. The armoured personnel carriers, which are designed to withstand large blasts, were able to return to a coalition base under their own power, he said.

The attack follows a threat by the Taliban to target foreign forces in a spring offensive that it launched last week.

Witnesses said traces of blood and clothing could be seen on the ground at the blast site. Kabul television stations earlier reported that at least three people had been killed.

The heavily armoured MRAP (mine resistant ambush protected) vehicles that coalition forces use to travel in Kabul appeared to have suffered only relatively minor external damage, witnesses said.</s>A suicide bombing near the U.S. embassy in Kabul on Wednesday killed four people and wounded at least 22, Afghan officials said, in an attack on a convoy of armoured personnel carriers used by the NATO-led Resolute Support mission. The blast hit the NATO coalition convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest areas of Kabul.

Start the conversation, or Read more at News Max.</s>Kabul: A suicide bombing near the US embassy in Kabul on Wednesday killed four people and wounded at least 22, Afghan officials said, in an attack on a convoy of armored personnel carriers used by the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

The blast hit the NATO coalition convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest areas of Kabul. Public health officials in the capital said four people were killed and at least 22 wounded.

There was no immediate word on whether any foreign troops had been hurt in the attack, which hit a group of armored personnel carriers designed to withstand large blasts.

However the blast, which security officials at the scene said was a suicide attack, also destroyed or badly damaged a number of civilian vehicles nearby.

The attack follows a threat by the Taliban to target foreign forces in the spring offensive that it launched last week.

Witnesses said traces of blood and clothing could be seen on the ground at the blast site. Kabul television stations earlier reported that at least three people had been killed.

The heavily armored MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles that coalition forces use to travel in Kabul appeared to have suffered only relatively minor external damage, witnesses said.

There was no immediate comment from the Resolute Support mission in the capital.</s>KABUL
• The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing yesterday in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that killed eight civilians in an attack on a convoy of Nato armoured personnel vehicles.

The blast hit the convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest parts of Kabul.

Public health officials said eight civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded, with a number of civilian vehicles that were near the convoy destroyed or badly damaged.

A spokesman for the US-led Nato mission, US Navy Captain Bill Salvin, said three US service members were wounded in the attack.

The vehicles, which are designed to withstand big blasts, were able to return to a base under their own power, he said.

In a statement on its Amaq news agency, ISIS said a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged car as the convoy passed near the United States embassy.

Although the Afghan branch of ISIS operates largely in the eastern province of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan, the movement has also claimed a string of suicide attacks in Kabul.

Firefighters and ambulances rushed stunned survivors to hospital as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani slammed the blast as a "criminal act".

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis warned of "another tough year" for both foreign troops and local forces in Afghanistan when he visited Kabul last month.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg told a German newspaper on Sunday that the 28-nation alliance was considering boosting its troop strength once more, given the "challenging" security situation.

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from Nato allies.

Most are taking part in Nato's train, assist and advise mission, though some are also carrying out counter-terror missions targeting ISIS and Al-Qaeda.</s>At least eight civilians were killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul city on Wednesday that targeted a convoy of foreign troops, the Interior Ministry said. At least 25 persons injured in the attack at Abdul Haq square in Macroyan were rushed to Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, Tolo News quoted the ministry as saying.

The suicide bomber targeted a three-vehicle NATO convoy of foreign forces patrolling near US embassy.

Security forces inspect at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Afghan officials say that at least four people have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in the capital Kabul. Photo credit: PTI

According to eyewitnesses, security personnel belonging to the coalition forces were targeted in the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident comes days after the Taliban announced its spring offensive and vowed to carry out more attacks on government and security personnel and institutions.

On April 12, at least five people were killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul city.

A security source said the attack took place in front of the presidential palace's administrative affairs office, which is close to the PD2 headquarters and the defense ministry. Eyewitnesses said two presidential palace guards are among those killed.

President Ashraf Ghani said in the statement the enemies of Afghanistan are targeting people along highways, in cities, in mosques and schools because they are against development and stability.</s>A wounded NATO soldier lies on the ground as a comrade stands guard between their disabled armored vehicles at the site of a blast targeting their convoy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 30, 2015. It comes a week after an audacious attack on the nation's parliament, which highlighted the ability of insurgents, who have been fighting to overthrow the Kabul government for almost 14 years, to enter the highly fortified capital to stage deadly attacks. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossasini)</s>KABUL – A powerful blast targeting a foreign forces convoy near the US embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul killed at least eight people and wounded 25 Wednesday, officials said, the latest attack in the Afghan capital.

 Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed the toll, telling AFP most of the victims were civilians on the busy main road during the morning rush hour.

 “We are still checking the nature of the explosion, but I confirm a convoy of foreign forces was passing by when the explosion happened,” he said.

 The blast damaged two of the heavily armoured MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles carrying the foreign troops, and left a small crater in the road, witnesses and an AFP photographer said.

 MRAPs, which are designed to withstand large explosions, are routinely used by international forces moving around Kabul. Officials have not yet confirmed the nationalities of those caught in the blast.

 At least three civilian cars were also damaged, with one ablaze, while windows were shattered up to several hundred metres away. Firefighters and ambulances rushed stunned survivors to hospital.

 One security source told AFP that at least two American soldiers received minor injuries in the blast from a white Toyota Corolla that exploded as the convoy drove by, though that had not been verified by officials.

 No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which came days after the Taliban launched their so-called “spring offensive”, in which they vowed to target international troops.

 The annual offensive normally marks an upsurge in fighting during warmer weather, though this winter the Taliban continued to battle government forces.

 Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, who visited Kabul last month as the US seeks to craft a new strategy in Afghanistan, warned of “another tough year” in the war-torn country for both foreign troops and local forces.

 He would not be drawn, however, on recent calls by NATO commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson for a “few thousand” more troops to break

 the “stalemate” against the insurgents.

The Afghan conflict is the longest in US history — US-led NATO troops have been at war there since 2001, after the ousting of the Taliban regime for refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington.

 The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from NATO allies. Most are taking part in NATO’s train, assist and advise mission, though some area also carrying out counter-terror missions targeting Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

 Afghan forces have been straining to beat back the Taliban insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

 Already beset by killings, desertions, and struggles over leadership and morale, they faced “shockingly high” casualties in 2016 and the first part of 2017, according to a US watchdog SIGAR.

 The report did not include a massacre at a base near northern Mazar-i-Sharif last month which saw militants dressed in army uniforms slaughter at least 144 Afghan recruits, according to a US official.

 With more than one third of Afghanistan outside of government control, civilians also continue to bear a heavy brunt, with thousands killed and wounded each year and children paying an increasingly disproportionate price, according to UN figures.

 Kabul province had the highest number of civilian casualties in the first quarter of the year due to attacks in the capital, a recent UN report showed. Most were carried out by the Taliban, though Islamic State claimed several which targeted Afghanistan’s Shiite minority. The UN had called on all groups to “take every measure possible to prevent unnecessary and unacceptable harm to Afghan civilians”.
A suicide bombing attack on a NATO convoy in Kabul kills eight civilians and wounds at least 28 people.