40 killed in Taliban suicide attack in Kabul (Second Lead)

Kabul Jan 27 (IANS) At least 40 people were killed and 140 others injured on Saturday when a Taliban suicide bomber exploded an ambulance laden with explosives near Sidarat Square in central Kabul where several government offices are located.

The ambulance was detonated between two checkpoints outside the old Ministry of Interior building close to Sedarat Square.

The blast occurred roughly at 12.50 p.m. near the Jamhoriat Hospital.

Health official Wahid Majroh told Xinhua that the killed and injured had been taken to Kabul s nearby hospitals.

Among those affected by the blast were women and children the source added.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated on Twitter that "a martyr driving a car bomb succeeded in reaching the first Interior Ministry security checkpoint" adding that at the time there was a large number of police officers in the nearby area.

The death toll is likely to rise.

The bombing is the latest in a string of deadly attacks across Afghanistan in the past week including the deadly 17-hour siege last Saturday on the Intercontinental Hotel and the attack on the Save The Children organization in Jalalabad Nangarhar among others.

--IANS
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