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American Morning

Reports Claim 10 Dead in Afghan Explosion

Aired September 05, 2002 - 08:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, let's go back to those two powerful explosions that rocked the Afghan capital. There are reports of 10 dead, 15 injured in Kabul.
Christiane Amanpour has more details from there -- good morning, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, these numbers of casualties have been fluctuating ever since this explosion happened about 90 minutes ago. Now, as you say, the Afghan Government Press Agency, the official information agency here, is saying that 10 people have been killed and 15 or 16 wounded. But that number could change. Again, as I say, we've had numbers lower than that and numbers higher than that throughout this afternoon.

What we do know is that casualties were sped very quickly in a series of ambulances to several hospitals in this city, first to the Italian emergency hospital, which then found that it couldn't cope and sent the remaining casualties off to two other local hospitals here. Families have gathered outside the hospitals trying to figure out what has happened to their relatives.

What we understand from a series of eyewitness reports, police spokesmen and other authorities appears to be the following picture. That a small explosion took place apparently when somebody on a bicycle dropped some explosive material. Then, about three to four minutes later, another massive explosion took place. We are now being told that that explosion took place, the explosive device was in a car. In other words, we believe it may have been a car bomb.

This is what caused the majority of the casualties.

We understand from eyewitnesses down there, from our own people down there that it has caused quite a lot of damage with upturned cars, shattered windows. It is a very busy part of town near the Ministry of Information and other ministries. It is also in the business and commercial district.

It was particularly congested today, Thursday, being a busy shopping day before the Moslem weekend day of Friday. So a lot of people down there when this explosion took place.

The police and other authorities have been quick to blame elements of the Taliban and al Qaeda and they are also blaming a former religious warlord here, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who has been shut out of the government process and just this week called for a holy war to drive out U.S. and other international forces here. This we do know is the worst explosion in Kabul since the fall of the Taliban, since the government of Hamid Karzai, which, as you know, is supported by the West and was elected in this transitional democratic process a couple of months ago. This is the worst explosion, although there have been two assassinations and another thwarted car bomb attack in Kabul in the last few months -- back to you, Paula.

ZAHN: Christiane, thanks so much for that update. We appreciate it. We'll be going back to you throughout the morning as even more details become available.

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