At least 70 were killed or injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Afghan capital of Kabul, quickly followed by a car bomb nearby in what appears to be have been a coordinated operation, authorities said. The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters.

The attack targeted a minibus carrying staff from the NDS, Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, and as many as 70 people were killed or wounded, the insurgents said.

Just received the first footage from today`s #KabulAttack pic.twitter.com/EwHdIdjohE — Zakarya Hassani (@ZakariaHassani4) January 10, 2017

At least 21 people had died and 45 more wounded were taken to hospital, public health ministry spokesperson Imail Kawasi said, although the numbers were likely to grow.

#BREAKING: Twin explosion (suicide bomber and car bomb) hit outside parliament offices in #Kabul #Afghanistan; Gunfire heard in the area pic.twitter.com/P5Sf5DsVji — Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) January 10, 2017

The attack, which ended a period of relative calm in the Afghan capital, occurred in a crowded area during the afternoon rush hour as workers were returning home. Officials said a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Darul Aman area of the city near the new Indian-financed parliament building and was followed immediately by a car bomber in an apparently coordinated operation.

Security forces blocked the road and ambulances are shifting the injuries.#KabulBlast #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/1sZwWu83Cb — Zakarya Hassani (@ZakariaHassani4) January 10, 2017

Earlier on Tuesday, a suicide bomber killed at least seven people in southern Helmand province, according to provincial police chief Gen. Agha Noor Kemtoz. He said the target of that attack was a guesthouse used by a provincial intelligence official, and both military personnel and civilians were among the dead, the local police chief said.







