Afghan guard at German embassy killed in Kabul attack

The truck bomb that ripped through Kabul’s diplomatic quarter Wednesday killed an Afghan security guard of the German embassy and wounded several mission staff, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

Gabriel said the “despicable” attack, which killed at least 80 people, “was carried out in the immediate vicinity of the German embassy,” while the missions of Japan, France and Bulgaria also reported damage.

“An Afghan security officer involved in the protection of the embassy area has died,” Gabriel said in a statement, adding that “German embassy officials were injured” but that now “all employees are safe”.

“Attacks like this do not diminish our resolve to keep supporting the Afghan government in stabilising the country,” he said.

The Afghan interior ministry, which put the number of wounded at 320, said a suicide bomber had detonated an explosives-packed vehicle in the city’s Zanbaq Square around 8:30 am local time.