Two Russian embassy staff dead, 11 hurt in suicide bomb blast in Kabul

KABUL: Two Russian embassy staff in Kabul were killed when a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the entrance of the embassy, in a blast that injured 11 others, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Police said two people had died in the incident but did not give their identities, while the attacker was shot dead by armed guards as he approached the gate.

"The suicide attacker before reaching the target, was recognised and shot by Russian embassy (Taliban) guards ... there is no information about casualties yet," Mawlawi Sabir, the head of the police district where the attack took place, told Reuters.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that an unknown militant set off an explosive device near the entrance to the consular section of the embassy around at 10:50 a.m. Kabul time.

"As a result of the attack, two employees of the diplomatic mission were killed, and there are also victims among Afghan citizens," the ministry said.

Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over the country more than a year ago. Although Moscow does not officially recognise the Taliban's government, they have been in talks with officials over an agreement to supply gasoline and other commodities.