8 Americans Killed in Kabul Blast

Eight Americans have been reported as being among a group of people killed in a car bomb attack against the US-founded Counterinsurgency Academy in the Afghan capital Kabul.

An Afghan army officer on the scene said 22 people, including eight Americans, were killed in the car bomb attack against a NATO convoy, according to a DPA report.

The attack occurred as Afghan President Hamid Karzai was scheduled to hold a press conference after his recent visit to the United States.

The unnamed officer added that three US vehicles were destroyed in the incident which the Taliban has claimed responsibility to.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed, told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location that the Taliban "Claim responsibility. The attack, which was a suicide car bomb, was carried out by one of our mujahedeen." He said the attack occurred at 8:15 a.m., and that the attacker was able to "destroy five foreign vehicles and damage one more."

Kabul Deputy Police Chief Mohammad Khalil Dastyar said five of the dead and five of the wounded were foreigners, but did not provide nationalities.

The Interior Ministry, on the other hand, said 12 people died, all of which were civilians, and 47 other civilians were wounded. It said most of the casualties came from a bus that was hit in the explosion.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai described the attack as "heartbreaking". "We are condemning the attack in the strongest terms. I hope Afghanistan will soon get out of this suffering, God willing," he said on Afghan television.

Meanwhile, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) refused to confirm the casualties.

"ISAF Joint Command is working with our Afghan partners to assess an explosion that took place this morning on the Darulaman Road in Kabul," a NATO statement said.