Suicide bomb attack on NATO convoy in Afghan capital kills four

A suicide bombing near the U.S. embassy in Kabul on Wednesday killed four people and wounded at least 22, Afghan officials said, in an attack on a convoy of armoured personnel carriers used by the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

The blast hit the NATO coalition convoy during the morning rush hour in one of the busiest areas of Kabul. Public health officials in the capital said four people were killed and at least 22 wounded.

There was no immediate word on whether any foreign troops had been hurt in the attack, which hit a group of armoured personnel carriers designed to withstand large blasts.

However the blast, which security officials at the scene said was a suicide attack, also destroyed or badly damaged a number of civilian vehicles nearby.

The attack follows a threat by the Taliban to target foreign forces in the spring offensive that it launched last week.

Witnesses said traces of blood and clothing could be seen on the ground at the blast site. Kabul television stations earlier reported that at least three people had been killed.

The heavily armoured MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles that coalition forces use to travel in Kabul appeared to have suffered only relatively minor external damage, witnesses said.

There was no immediate comment from the Resolute Support mission in the capital.