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Suicide Bomber Targets European Police in Kabul


A U.S. soldier, center, takes a photo at the site of a suicide car bomb attack near the headquarters of the European Union police training mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2015.
A U.S. soldier, center, takes a photo at the site of a suicide car bomb attack near the headquarters of the European Union police training mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2015.

A suicide car bomber targeted a European Union police vehicle in Kabul, killing one passerby and wounding five others nearby. None of the passengers were injured.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The European police training mission (EUPOL) said the bomber struck near its headquarters on the eastern outskirts of Kabul Monday afternoon.

"I was sitting in my shop when suddenly a horrible explosion happened. Right after the explosion, human flesh and car debris landed on us. I came out on the street and saw some people wounded and a vehicle was destroyed," shopkeeper Isaanullah Jan said.

Kabul has been hit by a high number of attacks since the last weeks of 2014 as Taliban insurgents target government, military and foreign installations.

The attacks come as Afghan troops are taking full responsibility for the nation's security, marking the formal end to a 13-year combat mission in Afghanistan by the United States and NATO that targeted Taliban insurgents.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in late 2001 to overthrow the Taliban, which was sheltering the al-Qaida masterminds of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

While the last day of the international military mission's combat role was December 31, about 12,000 U.S. and NATO personnel will remain in Afghanistan to train, advise and assist Afghan police and the army.

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