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Suicide bomber kills five in attack on British embassy car in Kabul: officials
The wreckage of a British embassy vehicle after a suicide attack in Kabul, November 27, 2014. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
By Jessica Donati and Hamid Shalizi
27/11/2014
KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber attacked a British embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital on Thursday, killing five people, including one Briton, the ministry of interior said.
The blast in the east of Kabul wounded 33 people, including many bystanders, the latest in a wave of bombings to hit Kabul as the majority of foreign combat troops prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.
Taliban insurgents, who have been gaining momentum since they were ousted from power by a U.S.-led coalition in 2001, claimed responsibility for the attack saying it "targeted foreign invading forces".
The British embassy confirmed there were injuries among those in the vehicle, but did not comment on the reported death.
"I can confirm it was a British vehicle and there are some injuries. We are working with the Afghan authorities," said the spokesman, who asked not to be identified.
A Western security source said one of the British employees traveling in the vehicle had died in hospital, while a second Briton was wounded and in stable condition.
A Reuters witness saw at least one survivor being led away from the charred shell of the vehicle on foot by a member of the British security force.
The interior ministry initially reported the blast was caused by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, but later said attacker was traveling by car.
The Afghan capital has been hit by a wave of attacks in recent weeks and Thursday's bombing was at least the fourth since Monday, when two American soldiers were killed in a powerful blast close to the airport.
(Reporting by Jessica Donati and Hamid Shalizi. Writing by Kay Johnson.; Editing by Paul Tait and Nick Macfie)
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