Afghanistan bomb kills eight

A Taliban bomb killed at least eight Afghan civilians when it was detonated by remote control on a bus just northwest of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on Tuesday, local police said.

Five others were also wounded in the attack, which took place at 7:00 a.m. local time in Paghman district, Kabul province.

The bomb, which was hidden under a bridge, went off as the bus rode over the span, said Mohammad Zahir, Kabul police's criminal director.

Police speculated that the bomb may have been intended for another bus transporting government employees to one of the country's ministries, and that the bus carrying civilians was blown up accidently.

The attack comes at a time when concern about possible terrorist plots against government is growing in Afghanistan: Last week Afghan officials claimed to have foiled a large-scale attack in the section of Kabul where Western embassies are located. Three vehicles containing explosives, hand grenades, machine-guns, rockets and suicide vests were found, according to officials. They claimed that terrorists intended to take over a tall building and directly fire on their targets from a high vantage point.

Intentions to launch such a major operation had suggested an attempt to rival an attack on embassies, military bases and government offices, which took place in Kabul in April. It was the biggest coordinated assault on the capital for a decade

The latest bomb on the civilian bus, will add to mounting anxiety over the fate of Afghanistan's security after NATO troops withdraw by the end of 2014, and Afghan forces take on complete responsibility for security.

sej/jlw (AP, AFP)