<div>A loud explosion rocked Kabul on Friday in a heavily protected area close to many foreign embassies and government buildings, with initial police reports suggesting at least three attackers had targeted a guesthouse close to the Spanish embassy. The car bomb attack was later claimed by Taliban.<br /><br />Afghan Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayub Salangi said the car bomb struck near a foreign guesthouse in Shir Pur, an area with embassies and other diplomatic buildings seen as one of the safer parts of the Afghan capital.<br /><br />Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters that the attack happened near the Spanish Embassy but that the embassy was not the target of the attack. One Spanish police officer was hurt and taken for treatment at a hospital but did not suffer serious injuries, Rajoy said.<br /><br />Police were on the scene and an official said that gunfire had broken out after the explosion, but there were no immediate details of any casualties. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.</div>
<div>A loud explosion rocked Kabul on Friday in a heavily protected area close to many foreign embassies and government buildings, with initial police reports suggesting at least three attackers had targeted a guesthouse close to the Spanish embassy. The car bomb attack was later claimed by Taliban.<br /><br />Afghan Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayub Salangi said the car bomb struck near a foreign guesthouse in Shir Pur, an area with embassies and other diplomatic buildings seen as one of the safer parts of the Afghan capital.<br /><br />Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters that the attack happened near the Spanish Embassy but that the embassy was not the target of the attack. One Spanish police officer was hurt and taken for treatment at a hospital but did not suffer serious injuries, Rajoy said.<br /><br />Police were on the scene and an official said that gunfire had broken out after the explosion, but there were no immediate details of any casualties. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.</div>