Suicide Bomber Hits, Kills 8 Foreigners

Afghan Capital, Kabul.

Report says about 12 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on a minibus carrying foreigners near the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Eight South Africans were killed in the attack which took place on a major road leading to the international airport.

The Afghan insurgent group Hezb-e-Islami has claimed responsibility for the blast, which it says was in response to a recent anti-Islam video.

Furthermore, a South African foreign affairs ministry spokesman told the AFP news agency the eight victims worked for a private aviation company.

"We have identified those who have been killed, but we cannot release their names until we have notified their next of kin," Nelson Kgwete, a spokesman for South Africa's Department of International Relations and Co-operation told the BBC.

"This is the first time that we've had South Africans killed in such a manner in the region."
Mr Kgwete said it was hard to tell whether more South Africans were in the area. He did not comment on whether there were plans to extract them until the situation normalised.

He said South Africa had no diplomatic relation with Afghanistan which made it difficult to get all necessary information quickly.
South Africa was working through its representatives in Pakistan on the matter, Mr Kgwete said.

The BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says three Afghans, including a passer-by and a mechanic, were also killed in the blast.

The joint command of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan cited a recent rise in insider attacks on Nato forces and events related to anger over the Innocence of Muslims film as the reasons behind the decision.

It comes as Nato says it will restrict operations with Afghan forces from now.


Source: BBC