22 May 2011

Six killed by bomber at hospital

6:02 am on 22 May 2011

A suicide bomber has killed six people and wounded another 23 at a military hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

At least six people were killed and more than 20 wounded by a suicide bomber earlier in the day.

The bomber detonated his device at 12.30pm on Saturday in a tent in the grounds of Charsad Bestar Hospital where medical students were eating lunch.

The Taliban said it had carried out the attack.

General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said all the casualties were civilians and medical students.

There were fears that a second suicide bomber had got into the hospital. Staff were told to lock themselves in their rooms while soldiers searched the building, but no-one was found.

The Charsad Bestar Hospital was built in the 1970s. It was upgraded by Western countries after the fall of the Taliban.