Huge Explosion Rocks Afghanistan Capital

By Paul Garwood
The Associated Press

Wednesday 19 April 2006

Kabul, Afghanistan -- A massive explosion believed to have been caused by a rocket shook the Afghan capital late Wednesday near the diplomatic area where the U.S. Embassy is located, a police official said. At least one policeman was wounded.

A large plume of white smoke rose into the air.

The explosion occurred at the state TV building, which is next to the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy and the base for NATO-led forces in the capital, a police official at the scene said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak to the media, said the blast was apparently caused by a rocket targeting the U.S. Embassy building.

Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor could not confirm if the blast targeted the heavily guarded American mission, where staff rushed to a bunker in the compound.

"We are trying to determine what has happened and locate the source of the explosion," Fintor told The Associated Press.

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