A suicide car bomber rammed a European Union vehicle near the main airport in Afghanistan’s capital on Sunday, killing at least three people in the latest attack in the city, officials said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL), which advises Afghan law enforcement authorities.
The insurgents have launched a wave of attacks around the country since the drawdown of most foreign troops last year to a small training force.
EUPOL spokeswoman Sari Haukka-Konu confirmed that one of the mission’s vehicles was hit by an explosion near Kabul airport. She said all the EUPOL personnel “are in a safe place” with non-fatal injuries, but another person travelling in the vehicle was killed. She did not give the person’s nationality.
Police spokesman Ebadullah Karimi said a suicide bomber in a Toyota Corolla rammed a foreign vehicle on the road from Kabul’s main airport to a Nato military installation nearby. He said at least two Afghan civilian bystanders were killed and 18 people were wounded.
The bomber struck about 200 metres from the main airport entrance along the road leading to NATO’s adjacent base.
Rescuers carried wounded Afghan civilians from the scene, which police cordoned off.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility saying that two vehicles were destroyed and seven foreign troops were killed. The insurgents frequently report inflated casualties in their attacks.
The capital has seen a new surge in major attacks over the last two weeks after a relative lull since January.