Suicide car bomber kills 40 at Kabul's Indian Embassy

A SUICIDE car bomb hit two diplomatic vehicles entering the Indian Embassy in Kabul this morning, killing 40 people and injuring 141 others.

The bomber struck as two diplomatic vehicles entered the embassy.

Danish Karokhil, the head of the independent Pajhwok news agency, said: "The target was the diplomatic vehicles.

"They were trying to get inside the embassy when the suicide car bomber attacked them.

"There are many people killed and wounded, the police guards protecting the embassy were also hurt."

A line of people waiting for visas and those shopping at a nearby market were among those hurt.

Police cordoned off the area as ambulance crews carried away the wounded.

India has close relations with the Afghan government and is funding a number of large infrastructure projects.

The blast followed warnings by Taliban insurgents that they would escalate their campaign of suicide bombings this year to overthrow the pro-Western Afghan government and drive out foreign forces.

• A female suicide bomber killed nine people and wounded 12 when she blew herself up at a market in the northern Iraqi city of Baquba today.