KABUL, Afghanistan - Two Americans were among seven people killed in a massive car bomb near the U.S. Embassy in the Afghan capital Tuesday, a U.S. military official said. One of the U.S. citizens was a service member, the other a civilian, the official said. Earlier the the NATO-led coalition known as ISAF released a statement confirming three of its personnel died in the blast, which apparently targeted an international military convoy in Kabul. ISAF did not release the nationalities of those killed.
An Afghan police officer on the scene told NBC News that two ISAF vehicles were destroyed in the blast, which also killed at least four Afghan civilians and injured more than 20 people. Security forces cordoned off the chaotic scene amid blaring ambulance sirens minutes after the 8:10 a.m. (11:40 p.m. ET on Monday) explosion. The Taliban said the attack had been carried out by one of its members driving a Toyota Corolla. A disputed presidential election and the looming withdrawal of most foreign troops by the end of the year have raised tensions in the country.