Blast rocks Indian Embassy in Kabul, staff safe; 80 killed

Kabul: At least 80 people were killed and at least 150 wounded when the Afghan capital was rocked by a huge explosion, on Wednesday morning, not very far from the Indian Embassy.

The preliminary reports suggested that the blast occurred in the vicinity of high-security Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan area which is home to embassies and diplomatic missions.

According to the official sources, there were no casualties to any Indian national but window panes of the embassy building were shattered.

The Associated Press had earlier tweeted, "50 people have been killed or wounded in a suicide car bombing in Kabul."

https://twitter.com/AP/status/869774693670297600

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Images circulating on social media appeared to show a large cloud of black smoke over the city. "Massive explosion just shattered all the windows and glass in our bureau," Jessica Donati, who covers Afghanistan for the Wall Street Journal, wrote on her Twitter account.

Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj tweeted to inform that the Indian Embassy staff was safe.

https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/869775310706716672