He says that after the explosion, two more attackers entered one of the buildings in the area.
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Just a month before a conference in Brussels where worldwide donors are expected to pledge continued financial support to Afghanistan, the attacks highlighted the precarious security climate in the capital.
Afghan security forces inspect at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan September 5, 2016.
“When the first explosion happened people crowded to the site and then the second blast occurred, which was really powerful and killed lots of people”, said Samiullah Safi, who witnessed the attack.
Kabul traffic was blocked in several parts of the city and schools in the area were closed.
At least 10 people were confirmed dead and 30 others wounded, health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh said.
The attack took place near the Afghan Ministry of Defense in Kabul.
Afghanistan’s Tolo TV reported that the ministry’s senior commander, General Abdul Raziq, along with the intelligence chief for the capital city and a district police chief, were among those killed.
The attack started off with a heavy explosion, thought to have been a vehicle bomb, followed by sporadic gun fire.
“The enemies of Afghanistan have lost their ability to fight the Security and Defense Forces of the country”, Ghani said in a statement.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a double bombing in Afghanistan. That assault was claimed by Islamic State.
After a lull following the death of former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in May, the Taliban have stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government in Kabul, putting security forces under pressure.
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The Taliban have also closed in on Kunduz – the northern city they briefly seized previous year in their biggest military victory since the 2001 U.S. invasion – leaving Afghan forces stretched on multiple fronts.
