Six Americans working with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are among at least 15 killed in a suicide car bombing in downtown Kabul on Thursday, NBC News reports.
"It was a powerful explosion and some of the dead civilians were badly burned and cannot be recognized," Kane Backlash, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Health Ministry, toldReuters.
The blast occurred during morning rush-hour at around 8 A.M. local time. The six Americans killed include two military servicemembers and four civilian contractors. Nine Afghan civilians were killed, including two children.
From Kabul, NPR's Sean Carberry tells our Newscast Desk that "the massive explosion shook the capital Thursday morning, and set nearby cars and buildings ablaze. Hospital officials say dozens of civilians, including many children are being treated for injuries. The militant group Hizb-i-Islami has taken responsibility for the attack. They don't conduct operations nearly as often as their Taliban allies."
NBC estimates about 40 people may have been injured in the blast.
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