A suicide bomber killed at least 20 police officers and wounded close to 30 other people at a police facility in Kabul on Monday.
Multiple media sources reported the blast took place outside the Afghan National Civil Order Police building.
A statement from the NATO mission said seven Afghan civilians were among the dead.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing. A spokesman for the Taliban said its suicide bomber attacked a group of officers gathered at the gate of the police center.
People at the scene of the bombing witnessed the moments before the attack. An investigator said security guards identified the suspected bomber. When attempts were made to stop the assailant, he exploded the bomb.
The bombing is the latest in a series of Taliban attacks in Kabul the past few days. Clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban have left parts of the Afghan capital without electricity. The fighting and bad weather stopped workers from repairing the damage, according to Afghanistan’s national power company.
Meanwhile, talks are due to start again in Islamabad, Pakistan to work out the details for direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The opening talks include officials from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States.
Ayaz Gul reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted his report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.
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Words in This Story
mission – n. a group of people sent to a foreign country for a specific reason
gate - n. entrance
assailant – n. a person who attacks someone violently
due - adj. expected or planned for a given time
