Kabul blast not caused by suicide bomber

An explosion in Kabul today destroyed a car belonging to the Afghan Finance Ministry, killing the driver and wounding a passenger and a bystander, officials said.

Initial police reports indicated that the blast in Kabul’s southern suburbs was caused by a suicide car bomber.

But Finance Ministry spokesman Aziz Shams rejected the suicide bombing theory, saying the vehicle was part of a two-car ministry convoy and driven by a “trusted” employee.

Another Finance Ministry employee was riding in the car, Shams added.

“This was not a suicide attack, there was no reason to blow themselves up,” Shams said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion, which left a crater in the road and shattered the windows of nearby houses.

British and American soldiers cordoned off the scene as an Afghan bomb disposal unit inspected the damaged car.

“A man ran from the car covered in flames screaming ‘help me, help me’ and three police cars were at the scene almost immediately,” said eyewitness Mohammed Amin, 43.

Police found the charred remains of the driver inside the destroyed car and officers removed the seriously wounded passenger and took him to a medical facility, Stanezai said. A male bystander was also injured and taken to hospital.

Interior Ministry spokesman Yousef Stanezai said police were following a suspicious vehicle in Kabul’s Beni Sar suburb when it sped away and suddenly exploded at about 7.30am (4am Irish time).

Nato spokesman Major Luke Knittig said initial police reports indicated a suicide attacker had detonated his bomb-rigged car prematurely after police tried to stop it.