2 Indians among others killed in Kabul blast yesterday
Two Indians working as guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul were among 25 people killed in a string of Taliban suicide attacks across Afghanistan yesterday.
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In the first attack, a Taliban suicide bomber hit a minibus carrying foreign security guards in Kabul along the main road to the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing Indian and Nepalese security guards.
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The Taliban also claimed a second smaller blast in south Kabul. The third blast took place in a market in the remote north-eastern province of Badakhshan.
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External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup in New Delhi said, "We have learnt that 2 Indian nationals, Ganesh Thapa and Govind Singh from Dehradun died tragically in the blast in Kabul today morning."
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"Government is in touch with the families of Indian nationals and is working with the Afghan government to repatriate their mortal remains at the earliest," he said.
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The two Indians were working for a private security company, Sabre International. Canada condemned the attacks and offered condolences to the families of the guards.
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"Canada strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Afghanistan by the Taliban, including the attack on a bus carrying security guards who protect the embassy of Canada to Afghanistan, in Kabul," Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement. He offered condolences on behalf of Canadians to the families and friends of "the Nepalese and Indian guards killed", adding that many had been "part of our embassy family for years."
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"They will be remembered for their service in the protection of the men and women at the embassy of Canada in Afghanistan."
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The attacks come days after the US announced an expansion of the US military's authority to conduct air strikes against the Taliban, a significant boost for Afghan forces which have limited close-air-support capacities.