A New Zealand special forces soldier is believed to have been killed in a suicide attack on the British Council Offices in Kabul.
At least three people were killed in an initial attack when a car rammed British Council building then exploded, on the public holiday marking Afghanistan’s independence from Britain. A second explosion from a suicide bomber saw the death toll rise to at least 10, with most of the victims believed to be police. Two street cleaners are also believed to be among the dead.
The Times Kabul correspondent Jerome Starkey told Sky News that he had seen a Nato soldier from New Zealand stretchered onto a Blackhawk helicopter.
"Just in the last few minutes a Blackhawk helicopter landed on the roundabout, a few hundred metres away from the ruins of the British Council compound, to collect a wounded Nato soldier. The soldier had been stretchered out of an armoured car, and was carried onto the helicopter," Mr Starkey said.
"Afghan sources who were securing the perimeter as the helicopter landed said he was from special forces. They said he was New Zealand special forces and they are known to operate as the lead team for responding to these sorts of incidents in Kabul."
Journalists were reportedly ordered to stop taking photos when what appeared to be the seriously wounded New Zealand special forces soldier was stretchered out of the building, the Guardian reported.
Seven hours after the initial attack, gunshots were still being heard.
Nato sources - mainly British and American troops - are maintaining a perimeter. At least one insurgent is still believed to be at large inside the building.
A defence source confirmed New Zealand soldiers were helping to deal with the attack in a support role – but denied soldiers were actively engaged in battle.
One foreign soldier has been confirmed to be among the dead, but the soldier’s nationality has not yet been confirmed.
New Zealand has 38 SAS members stationed in Kabul.
All British nationals are believed to be safe following the explosion.
3 News