Six killed in Kabul convoy blast

Kabul, May 16 – At least six people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide bomb attack in the capital, Kabul, officials say.

Two Nato troops and four civilian contractors have died, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan said.

There are unconfirmed reports that two children were also killed.

A bomber blew up his vehicle next to a convoy of foreign cars in the east of the city.

Afghan officials earlier said several civilian bystanders had died in the blast.

Smoke rose above the industrial district of Karta-e Naw after the powerful explosion.

An explosives-filled Toyota Corolla was blown up beside two foreign military vehicles at around 08:00 (03:30 GMT), Kabul Police Chief Gen Salangi said.

The force of the blast destroyed several houses and a wide area of the city has been cordoned off. Sirens could be heard afterwards as ambulances headed to the scene.

At least 30 people are said to have been injured in the attack.

The BBC's David Loyn in Kabul says harrowing images of the aftermath of the explosion have emerged, showing badly burned bodies and an elderly man with serious head injuries.

"I heard a terrible explosion and our whole building shook," a local resident told AFP news agency.

An insurgent group linked to the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami, told the BBC in a phone call that it had carried out the attack.

It is the first major blast in Kabul since March, when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the defence ministry, killing nine people.

The latest attack comes during what has been a bloody month for Isaf in Afghanistan, with at least 15 foreign military personnel killed in separate incidents since the beginning of May.

The Taliban announced a "spring offensive" in April, saying it would target foreign military bases and diplomatic areas.

Via:BBC