Afghanistan: dead and injured in Kabul bombing

The radical Islamic Taliban continued Monday's series of fierce attacks in Afghanistan. They claimed a car bombing attack near the Green Village for foreigners in the east of the capital, Kabul. According to Interior Ministry spokesman, at least five people were killed. Another at least 50 people were injured.

According to reporters of the news agency dpa, the violent explosion was heard in many parts of the city. The heavily secured residential area with offices for foreigners includes several international non-governmental organizations, including the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ). The car bomb had also exploded a gas station in the area and caught fire, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Rumors of battles within the "Green Village" are not correct, it said from the Interior Ministry on. Images in social media showed how a large cloud of smoke grew into the night sky.

The "Green Village" was the target of an attack in January this year. At that time, four people died, more than 100 were injured. The radical Islamic Taliban claimed the attack for themselves.

The attack took place during ongoing efforts between the Taliban and the US to resolve the year-long conflict. US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been conducting negotiations with the Taliban since last year, said in a recent interview with local TV channel ToloNews that they had "agreed" with the Taliban in principle. The talks are mainly about troop withdrawals and Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan will not become a safe haven for terrorists. As a result, inner-Afghan peace talks will be held.

However, the "fundamental" agreement between the US and the Taliban is not final until US President Donald Trump agrees, Khalilzad said. If Trump agrees, the agreement could be announced in the next few days. For the time being, the Taliban did not comment on Khalilzad's statements.

The car bombing in Kabul has now become the third sensational attack in Afghanistan within three days. On Saturday, hundreds of Taliban fighters tried to overrun the northern provincial capital of Kunduz. On Sunday, Taliban fighters attacked the provincial capital Pul-e Chumri. At least 32 security forces and civilians died in both cities according to official sources.

The Taliban said via Twitter on Monday night that the Kabul attack was "the voice of those oppressed compatriots who are being killed and wounded and whose homes are being destroyed by repeated bombing raids and raids."