A huge explosion hit near the German Embassy in Kabul during rush hour Wednesday morning, killing at least 80 people and injuring 300 others close to a highly secure diplomatic area.

Video from the scene showed a towering plume of black smoke and emergency vehicles speeding toward it. Soldiers in fatigues stood with guns drawn as sounds of screams, blaring sirens and traffic pierced the morning sky. Bystanders lifted an injured man from the back of a pickup as others hovered nearby, blood streaming down their faces. Mangled, burning cars stood nearby. The blast was caused by a suicide attack, according to Najib Danish, a spokesman for the interior ministry. The Afghan health ministry confirmed the casualty numbers, which are expected to rise. It hit about 400 yards from the German Embassy, and was in a water delivery truck, according to journalist Jennifer Glasse. She said the presidential palace and the Indian Embassy are also nearby.

The green zone houses western embassies, government institutions and the residences of high-ranking officials and their families. This month, another attack targeted a convoy of foreign troops near the US Embassy in Kabul, killing eight people. ISIS claimed responsibility for that attack.
Courtesy:BBC