Global charity hit in deadly Kabul violence

Militants attacked an international charity in Kabul yesterday during an hours-long assault labelled a "war crime" by Amnesty, as the capital reeled from a wave of violence that killed at least 41 and wounded dozens.

The assault on CARE International began late Monday with a massive car bombing, just hours after the Taliban carried out a brazen double bombing near the defence ministry.

A plume of smoke rose over the upscale neighbourhood of Shar-e Naw after the raid on the charity, located next to the office of Afghanistan's former intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil.

It remains unclear which compound was the intended target of the attack, which left piles of rubble and shards of glass strewn across the area.

"An armed group launched an attack on what is believed to have been an Afghan government compound located close to the Kabul office of CARE," the charity said, adding its staff had been safely evacuated.

"The incident continued through early yesterday morning with damages sustained to the CARE compound."

The interior ministry said 42 people including 10 foreigners were rescued. It added that six people had been wounded in the attack, which ended yesterday morning when Afghan forces gunned down all three attackers.

No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the raid on the charity.

The attack on CARE International "is the deliberate targeting of civilians and constitutes a war crime", Amnesty International said, calling for an independent probe to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The assault had been preceded by twin Taliban blasts that killed at least 41 people during rush hour on Monday, including high-level officials, and left 110 wounded.

The rise in casualties was announced yesterday by the health ministry, which had earlier put the death toll at 24 with 91 wounded.