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Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 08:28 GMT 09:28 UK
Suicide bomber strikes in Kabul
Kabul blast scene, 28 March
The bomb went off not far from the city's main bazaar
A suicide bomber has struck in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in an attack apparently aimed at one of the country's top intelligence officials.

At least four people, plus the bomber, died in the explosion near Kabul's main market, which happened during the morning rush hour, police say.

The official, an intelligence service investigations chief, survived.

It is the second bomb attack to hit the capital in just over a week, after months of relative peace.

The bomb went off in the centre of Kabul, not far from the city's main bazaar.

The bomber struck at one of the busiest times of the day, in the morning rush hour when government workers are on the move.

The BBC's Mark Dummett in Kabul says the blast could be heard right across the city.

The target appears to have been Kamaluddin Khan Achikzay, a senior investigator with the intelligence service, but he survived.

At least 12 people were injured in the attack, in addition to the civilian bystanders who were killed.

On 19 March a young Afghan man was killed when a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of US embassy officials in the city.

The US officials were unharmed.

Violence in south

It was the first attack of its kind inside Kabul this year, although several deadly blasts last year were blamed on the Taleban.

Most attacks take place in the restive south of the country, where the Taleban have more support and where their conflict with Nato troops and the Kabul government is predominantly being fought.

On Tuesday, a bomber dressed in an Afghan army uniform walked into a police headquarters in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province and blew himself up killing five policemen.

Last year saw the worst fighting since coalition troops ousted the Islamist Taleban from power in 2001.




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