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Military vehicle bombed in Afghan capital day before presidential swearing-in
By Hamid Shalizi
28/09/2014
KABUL (Reuters) - A bomb hit a military vehicle in the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital on Sunday, wounding one person a day before the inauguration of a new president expected to be attended by foreign dignitaries.
Police said no one killed by the magnetic bomb, which was attached to a military truck in Zanbaq Square, near the vast presidential palace compound and several embassies.
“At 9:15 this morning, a sticky bomb attached to an Afghan army vehicle exploded in Zanbaq Square ... only injuring the driver," Najib Danish, Interior Ministry deputy spokesman, told Reuters.
Security is tight in Kabul ahead of Monday's inauguration of Ashraf Ghani, who will replace long-time leader Hamid Karzai just before most foreign troops withdraw from the violence-racked country at the end of the year.
International leaders and dignitaries have been invited to the ceremony as the Taliban and allied insurgents seek to launch attacks to scare visitors away and create a mood of insecurity.
Monday's inauguration will also see presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah named chief executive, a post similar to prime minister.
Ghani and Abdullah agreed to share power in a unity government last week after months of bitter deadlock over the presidential vote in which each accused the other of vote-rigging.
(Reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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