The massive truck bomb attack in Kabul on Wednesday that killed at least 90 people has also damaged several embassies in the city’s highly-fortified diplomatic quarter.
The French, Chinese and Turkish embassies were among those hit, the three countries said adding that there’s no immediate signs of injuries to their diplomats.
The BBC said a driver for the British broadcaster was killed and four of its journalists were wounded.
Afghanistan’s private TOLO Television also reported a staffer killed; Germany said an Afghan security guard outside its embassy was among those killed.
China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a regularly scheduled media briefing on Wednesday that all embassy staff members were “safe and sound” and that there had been no reports of injured Chinese citizens.
Switzerland said the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation had several windows broken but the staff were safe.
Local TV footage showed shocked residents soaked in blood stumbling about, then being ferried away to hospitals. Passers-by stopped and helped the wounded into private cars, others congregated outside the nearby Italian-run Emergency Hospital.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, though both the Taliban and the Islamic State group have staged large-scale attacks in the Afghan capital in the past.
Taliban denies hand
The Taliban later on Wednesday issued a statement denying any involvement and condemning all attacks against civilians.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban, said the Kabul explosion had “nothing to do with the Mujahedeen of Islamic Emirate,” as the Taliban call themselves.
A statement from the Ministry of Interior Affairs said it condemned “in the strongest terms the terrorist attack” that killed so many, including women and children. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also condemned the attack, which came just days into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
