http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/world/asia/bombing-kabul-afghan-defense-ministry.html 2016-09-05 17:49:51 Bombings at Afghan Defense Ministry Kill at Least 20 in Kabul The coordinated attack in a crowded neighborhood was blamed on the Taliban, and an army general and a police security chief were reported among the dead. === KABUL, Afghanistan — Coordinated Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said that an army general and a police colonel in charge of the area’s security were among the dead on Monday. Mr. Sediqqi said that at least 50 people were wounded. A spokesman for the Health Ministry gave different figures, saying at least 24 had been killed and 91 wounded. The Defense Ministry is near a crowded bazaar along the Kabul River, and the explosions happened just as official hours were ending and government employees were heading home. The presidential palace as well as several other government agencies are also in the area. Mohammad Radmanish, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said both blasts were caused by suicide bombings. The first bomber detonated his explosives by a bridge outside the entrance to the ministry around 3:30 p.m. “When people and security forces arrived for help, the second attacker blew himself up among the crowd,” Mr. Radmanish said. An hour after the attack, the area was cordoned off by security forces as firefighters washed away blood and human remains. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said in a statement to the news media that his group claimed responsibility for the explosions. The Taliban’s statement said the first blast was caused by placed explosives, while the second one was a suicide bombing. The bombing was the latest in a summer-long wave of attacks on government or Western targets in the capital, including a complex attack by gunmen with suicide vests on the American University that