Bomb explodes near German embassy in Kabul, 80 people killed

At least 80 people were killed and more than 300 injured in a bomb blast that rocked the Afghan capital Kabul. The attacker's target is unknown but the incident occurred near the German and Iranian embassies.

Smoke and fire rise from the site of the bombing. Photo: Getty

According to local press, the bomb blast area is also home to many government buildings.

CNN quoted Afghan officials as saying that 80 people have been killed and more than 300 injured so far. Officials also said the death toll could rise.

Afghan officials confirmed the explosion affected the German, French, Indian and Iranian embassies.

The exact target of the attack, which occurred around 8:30 a.m. local time on May 31, is not yet clear, but it took place in an area with many foreign embassies and government buildings.

According to TOLO News, most of the victims were civilians, including many employees of a local mobile phone company.

Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid confirmed that the attack was a car bomb.

"The car bomb happened near the German embassy, ​​but there are many other important buildings and offices in the area," Mujahid said.

Witnesses said the blast was so powerful that it shattered windows in nearby buildings. Some doors were also ripped off. They also posted photos on Twitter showing a thick plume of smoke rising from the site of the explosion.

The Indian embassy said it also suffered damage but no casualties.

Several journalists said their offices were damaged by the blast, including Jessica Donati, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal. The BBC's Kabul bureau chief, Karim Haidari, also said BBC staff were affected by the blast.

No group has yet claimed responsibility, but last month the Taliban said they would step up spring attacks with foreign forces as their main target.

The group also said it would attack in a variety of ways: guerrilla attacks, insider attacks and suicide attacks.

People help take the victim to the hospital. Photo: AFP

The explosion shook the center of the capital. Photo: AFP

The injured were taken to the emergency room. Photo: REUTERS

So far no one has claimed responsibility. Photo: REUTERS

According to Tuoi Tre