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Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images
An Afghan man (right) cries at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul's diplomatic quarters Saturday.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives near the heavily barricaded NATO headquarters in Kabul on Saturday, killing six civilians, NATO and local officials said.
The bomber, who was riding an explosives-laden motorcycle, blew himself up near the entrance of Camp Eggers, a NATO spokeswoman said, referring to a sprawling base that is home to 2,500 coalition personnel who train Afghan security forces.
The blast was the latest example of how militants are able to strike the heart of the Afghan capital even after more than a decade of fighting Western forces with far superior firepower. It also raises questions about Afghan forces' ability to combat insurgents once most foreign troops leave by the end of 2014.
Prince Harry is back on active service in Afghanistan - this time to fly an Apache attack helicopter during a four-month deployment. The Queen approved the decision - and his duties may see him involved in fierce action against the Taliban. ITV's Tim Ewart reports.
Pieces of flesh and splattered blood lay on the street near the base, where small bodies were seen being lifted into ambulances, witnesses said.
Young children were among the dead, said Ministry of Interior spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
The Afghan Interior Ministry said five people were wounded in addition to the six deaths, The Associated Press reported.
Hoshang Hashimi / AP
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
Jamie Graybeal, a spokesman for the U.S.-led international military alliance, told The AP that all coalition compounds in Kabul were currently secure. He said he was not aware of any casualties among members of the coalition.
Taliban claims responsibility
The Taliban took responsibility for the attack, saying they had despatched a bomber to target the Kabul offices of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
"One of our mujahideen targeted an important intelligence office used for recruiting Americans and Afghans for spying," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters.
Haqqani network: Terrorist designation adds to captured GI's 'woes'
Sediqqi speculated on his Twitter feed that Saturday's attack, just before noon, may have been carried out by the Haqqanis, the most experienced insurgents in Afghanistan.
On Friday the United States said it is designating the Haqqani network -- blamed for a number of high-profile attacks on Western and Afghan targets in Kabul -- a terrorist organization.
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Senior Haqqani commanders told Reuters from an undisclosed location that the move showed the United States was not sincere about peace efforts in Afghanistan and warned of more attacks on American forces in Afghanistan.
The bombing on Saturday happened as celebrations were underway in Kabul to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the hero of the 1980s war against Soviet occupiers, and later of opposition to the Taliban.
Massoud was killed on September 9 by al Qaeda militants posing as reporters.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Anyone who thinks that the taliban really believe in God and are promoting and engaging in terrorism for religious reasons is very naive. Just like all other terrorist leaders the taliban are nothing but testosterone soaked over aggressive men looking for power and money. People who believe in a supreme being whether they call him/her Allah..God..or any other name don't massacre innocent women and children.
Yes, I know, America has done it too. Witness the bombing of civilians in WWII and Vietnam. Mankind has only advanced technologically, we are still the same predatory creatures we always have been. When did many wrongs start making a right?
We only have the right to take another persons life when our life is directly threatened by another. Traveling thousands of miles and injecting ourselves into another countries internal problems doesn't qualify as self defense. Doing that is like painting a target on your forehead and then wondering why people are shooting at you.
Hmmmm...I wonder if Afghanistan being the heroine poppy growing capitol of the world could have anything to do with this conflict? Nah...couldn't be that billions of dollars of drug money is involved here.
Oh well. Serves them right for still being there. And, no. I DO NOT support our troops in this invasion.
As long as they blow up their own fellow countrymen and not NATO soldiers, that's fine by me. Let them deal with each other. It is unfortunate if any children were killed or wounded but I won't lose much sleep over it if any from this country. We need to leave and let them sort out their politics and "alpha male" Taliban leader to replace Karzhai and move on. Not worth our money or lives. I hope the next suicide bomber is just as effective.
Not good reporting - was the bombing at ISAF HQ or at Camp Eggers? They are two separate installations about a mile apart.
The first suicide bombing in Afghanistan took place in 2003, if I recall correctly. Suicide bombers are not a part of Afghan history or culture, rather an import from bad influences in Iraq and Pakistan. This one was probably committed by the Haqqani Network, not the Quetta Shura of the Taliban, and the bomber was likely a young Pakistani student brainwashed into becoming a terrorist. As usual, the Afghan population bears the brunt of these vicious attacks.
We are 10 years overdue to have left that sewer called Afghanistan. If the people of that country want change and not to be controled by teh taliban ,they have to put everything on the line instead standing on the sidelines while our troops die fighting for their freedom. This war has bled us FAR TO LONG. PULL OUT NOW.
Only care if coalition members are killed. don't care at all if muslims are killed. they made me feel this way, and I don't have enough grace in my being to ever forgive them or accept them. God in heaven save me, but I can't stop hating these people and wishing they get exterminated from the earth
The only reason we are still in Afghanistan is to control the poppy fields.
Heroin production is at an all time high in Afghanistan.
The USA guards the poppy fields and England gets paid for the heroin sold.
End the fake war against terrorists in Afghanistan NOW!!!
@david
We as in Americans. Not me litterally sir.wow.