Kabul attack directed against Indian embassy, says Foreign Secretary

New Delhi, Oct 8 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on Thursday said the suicide attack in Kabul was directed at the Indian embassy.

"I believe that the suicide bomb was directed against the embassy because the suicide bomber came up to the outside perimeter wall of the embassy in a car loaded with explosives, obviously with the aim of targeting the embassy," Rao said.

"All the personnel inside the embassy building at that time are safe. Three of our personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), who were guarding the perimeter wall of the embassy have been slightly injured because of shrapnel from the bomb blast. But there has been no loss of life," she added.

"I have spoken to India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Jayant Prasad and he has informed me that all the members of our embassy (officers and staff and personnel) are safe. The intensity of the blast was more or less similar to the one that occurred outside our embassy in Kabul in July 2008," Rao said.

A Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said the blast took place at 8.27 a.m., and added that the walls of the complex had sustained some damage.

Other unconfirmed media reports said that at least seven people had been killed in the incident. (ANI)