By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL
A Taliban suicide bomber has detonated his explosive-laden vehicle near a convoy of foreign forces in the Afghan capital Kabul.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, making it the second time they targeted a NATO convoy in Kabul in the space of a week.
Afghan interior minister spokesman Sediq Sediqqi confirmed the explosion through Twitter and said that initial reports suggested there were no civilian casualties.
According to security officials, the suicide bomber targeted NATO advisers to Afghanistan's defense minister.
The U.S.-led international forces formally wrapped up combat missions in Afghanistan at the end of last year but nearly 13,000 international security forces remain in the country to advise Afghan forces.
An armored vehicle belonging to foreign forces was damaged in the blast, as were surrounding houses in the area, which was cordoned off by Afghan and foreign security forces.
Last week, the Taliban carried out a similar attack on a NATO convoy in the capital, killing one civilian and injuring 22.
Despite informal talks between the Afghan government representatives and the Taliban in Norway, Qatar and Dubai, the fighting in Afghanistan has escalated following the launch of the Taliban’s spring offensive in April.
