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Friday, August 7

By dawn's light: Latest casualty figures on massive truck bomb in Kabul

The bomb was detonated about 1:00 AM Friday; it wasn't until daybreak that the extent of the damage, and casualties, became evident:

TOLOnews (Afghanistan):
Kabul Blast Toll Revised: 8 Dead, 400 Civilians Injured
Last Updated Friday, 07 August 2015 - 07:35
Wahidullah Mayar, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, has revised the injured toll and says eight people have died and 400 civilians were wounded in Friday's deadly truck bomb blast.

Mayar said all 400 are civilians and most sustained minor injuries from flying glass.

However, he was unable to say whether the security forces had sustained any casualties. Mayar said that the 400 people treated at Kabul hospitals were all civilians.

Afghan security forces confirmed that they had recorded injuries among their members but they would not give numbers.

The full impact of Friday's deadly truck bomb blast in Kabul, was clearly evident as daylight broke however.

Scores of homes and buildings were destroyed in the blast, and rubble lay strewn across the streets of Shah Shaheed.

The incident, which took place just after 1am local time, occurred in a densely populated area on the outskirts of the city.

Mayar, said earlier that at least 27 women and 10 children were among those injured. However, this figure is expected to be higher on the back of revised casualty figures.

All hospital's in Kabul have been inundated with patients, he said.

Early reports stated the target was an Afghan military facility. However, the blast occurred in a residential area and most of the casualties are believed to be civilians.

Kabul Police Chief General Rahman Rahimi told TOLOnews at the scene that civilian homes bore the brunt of the blast and that a small military unit in the vicinity sustained only minor damage.

One resident, who was clearly traumatized after her house sustained serious damage in the blast, said two of sons were injured - one of whom was asleep at the time of the incident.

Another resident, who injured his hand, said many people were injured in the blast and that it had been a frightening experience for everyone living in the area.

The blast occured in 3rd Street in Shah Shaheed area just after 1am local time.

[See video at TOLO site "The full impact of Kabul's deadly bomb blast exposed.]

[END REPORT]

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