US convoy attacked in Kabul

KABUL – A car bomb exploded near a three-vehicle US Embassy convoy on a busy road in Kabul yesterday, wounding several people, one seriously, officials said.

The blast, witnessed by an Associated Press reporter, badly damaged the front of one SUV that was propelled to the other side of the road. First aid was administered to at least two people at the scene.The two other vehicles in the convoy were also damaged, close to the burning wreckage of the car in which the bomb was apparently placed.Joe Mellott, a spokesman for the US Embassy, said several people in the convoy were wounded, one seriously.He did not identify them or say whether they were Americans.He said the US ambassador, Ronald Neumann, was not in the convoy.A French officer at the site of the blast, who did not want to be identified since he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the explosion was probably caused by a remote-controlled device placed in a vehicle at the roadside.French soldiers – part of the Nato-led security force that patrols the Afghan capital – scoured nearby fields for evidence as British and American soldiers secured the area.The explosion occurred about 3 kilometres from the embassy on a road often targeted in bombings and rocket attacks.The road leads out of Kabul and to the US base at Bagram.The reporter, who was travelling in a vehicle about 50 to 70 metres behind the convoy when the bomb went off, escaped injury.US Embassy security teams initially prevented Afghan police, Nato soldiers and journalists from getting close to the vehicles.Late last month, a suicide bomber killed 23 people outside the US base at Bagram during a visit by US Vice President Dick Cheney.In September, a suicide bombing near the US Embassy killed 16 people, including two US soldiers.Afghanistan has seen an upsurge in Iraq-style violence over the past year as militant supporters of the former Taliban regime have stepped up attacks and increasingly embraced new deadly tactics such as suicide and roadside bombings.Nampa-APFirst aid was administered to at least two people at the scene.The two other vehicles in the convoy were also damaged, close to the burning wreckage of the car in which the bomb was apparently placed.Joe Mellott, a spokesman for the US Embassy, said several people in the convoy were wounded, one seriously.He did not identify them or say whether they were Americans.He said the US ambassador, Ronald Neumann, was not in the convoy.A French officer at the site of the blast, who did not want to be identified since he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the explosion was probably caused by a remote-controlled device placed in a vehicle at the roadside.French soldiers – part of the Nato-led security force that patrols the Afghan capital – scoured nearby fields for evidence as British and American soldiers secured the area.The explosion occurred about 3 kilometres from the embassy on a road often targeted in bombings and rocket attacks.The road leads out of Kabul and to the US base at Bagram.The reporter, who was travelling in a vehicle about 50 to 70 metres behind the convoy when the bomb went off, escaped injury.US Embassy security teams initially prevented Afghan police, Nato soldiers and journalists from getting close to the vehicles.Late last month, a suicide bomber killed 23 people outside the US base at Bagram during a visit by US Vice President Dick Cheney.In September, a suicide bombing near the US Embassy killed 16 people, including two US soldiers.Afghanistan has seen an upsurge in Iraq-style violence over the past year as militant supporters of the former Taliban regime have stepped up attacks and increasingly embraced new deadly tactics such as suicide and roadside bombings.Nampa-AP