Blast destroys telecoms bus in Afghan capital, casualties unknown

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KABUL: An explosion in the centre of the Afghan capital Kabul destroyed a bus carrying employees of one of the country’s biggest telecoms firms, causing an unknown number of casualties, Interior Ministry spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi said.

A security official said earlier the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber on foot, but there was no immediate official confirmation.

The explosion, as people were leaving work in a well-to-do area of the city, came less than a week after dozens of people were killed and wounded in an attack on the country’s largest military hospital by gunmen dressed in medical uniforms.

Officials are still investigating that assault, which was claimed by Islamic State, but the two attacks underline the broad security threat in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have stepped up their insurgency against the Western-backed government.