Massive truck bombing rocks Kabul city

Afghan police official confirms explosion near guesthouse for foreigners in Kabul; Taliban claims responsibility - AP ====== World | Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:35pm EDT Related: World Taliban claims truck bomb blast in Kabul left 6 of 6 right Afghan policemen keep watch near the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan August 1, 2016. Reuters/Omar Sobhani left 1 of 6 right left 2 of 6 right left 3 of 6 right left 4 of 6 right left 5 of 6 right left 6 of 6 right left 1 of 6 right The Taliban claimed responsibility for a truck bomb attack on a military and logistics services compound in Kabul early on Monday after a powerful explosion was heard all around the city. A security services official said four heavily armed attackers were fighting on the site of the Northgate Hotel, a secure residential compound for foreign military and civilian organizations. There was no immediate word on casualties from Afghan authorities. A spokeswoman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, said they were assessing the situation but gave no details. A statement from the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said had caused dozens of casualties and added its fighters had entered the compound. The attack comes around a week after Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a demonstration by members of the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority, killing at least 80 people. The Taliban, which often says it wants to avoid civilian casualties, said the compound was not near homes and that ordinary people were not harmed. (Reporting by James Mackenzie and Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Sandra Maler) ================== Afghan official: Blast shakes city, possible attack By LYNNE O'DONNELL Jul. 31, 2016 7:22 PM EDT 0 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A strong explosion took place early Monday near a guesthouse for foreigners in Kabul, an Afghan police official said. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, which shook much of the capital at 1:25 a.m. (2055 GMT) on Monday. It was followed by widespread power outages. Gul Agha Rohani, Kabul's deputy chief of police, said the explosion happened east of the city's international airport. Rohani named the Northgate Hotel, which houses international contractors, without further details. ============= By Khaama Press - Mon Aug 01 2016, 3:50 am 0 Comments 77 views Email Email Print Print Kabul explosions A massive explosion rocked Kabul city in the early hours of Monday morning with preliminary reports suggesting a Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) was detonated. The incident took place around around 1:30 am local time targeting a compound frequented by the foreigners. It is believed the compound is North Gate which provides accommodation to the foreign military and civilian organization in the country. There are also reports at least four militants launched gun attack following the massive blast that resulted into power outage in the city. The Taliban group claimed responsibility behind the attack and said a coordinated attack has been launched on a guesthouse of the foreigners in the city. There are no reports regarding the casualties as a result of the incident. Follow Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan News Agency on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook. Stay updated via RSS