Around 10 civilians were killed and 42 injured after a suicide attack took place near the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday, September 5, according to state media. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
"At least 10 civilians were killed while 42 others were wounded in the bombing. Twelve civilian vehicles were damaged" said Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi, reported Afghan media.
The minister added that ambulances and rescue teams are being rushed to the blast site.
The attack took place near a checkpoint on the main road near the Shash Darak area in the morning. The area is an important diplomatic region that houses headquarters of the NATO force, the US embassy as well as the Afghan intelligence body - National Directorate of Security (NDS).
CCTV footage of the blast site, circulating on social media, shows a large explosion took place on a busy road where cars and small shops were operating and the police shutting off the road.
Violent terror attacks carried out by the Taliban have increased in the region as the militia and US officials negotiate a deal that is aimed to guarantee US military withdrawal from the region in exchange for security and intel agreements.
The settlement with the Taliban as well as the Aghan government is sought by the US for a "gradual" withdrawal to avoid a political upheaval and re-establishment of the Taliban's reign. Tensions between the terror organisation and the Afghan government have made negotiations between them difficult, as the Taliban condemns President Ashraf Ghani's government and calls them a US puppet.
While the US President Donald Trump had given assurance that the negotiations were going well, sources in the Taliban told Reuters that the US demand of continuing to stay in the region and have military ties with the Afghan government was "unacceptable", as they demanded a complete withdrawal of foreign military forces.
Earlier this week, a Taliban suicide bomber carried an attack on a compound used by international aid agencies killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 100.
The Taliban had also launched major attacks on Afghan's key city Kunduz on August 31 in an attempt to claim territory over the region. The region, which has been seized at least twice by the Taliban over the past two years, was reclaimed after intense airstrikes conducted by the US and Afghan forces.
US top negotiator for the Afghan peace talks Zalmay Khalilzad had earlier confirmed that the two sides had "drawn up a draft framework agreement under which US troops would leave five military bases in Afghanistan within 135 days of the signing of the pact", reported Reuters.
Khalilzad said that he had discussed the draft with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and sought his opinion before finalising the agreement that is sought by Trump to end the 18-year war.
However, according to Ghani's government, the state is reportedly seeking clarifications from the United States on the draft agreement.
