Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao arrives in Kabul

A day after the Taliban suicide attack near Indian Embassy in Kabul, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao today arrived here to take stock of the situation and discuss the issue with the Afghan leadership.
 
Rao will meet Afghanistan foreign minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to discuss the situation arising out of yesterday's attack which left 17 people dead and nearly 80 injured, including three ITBP personnel.
 
She is likely to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Rao will also visit the Indian Embassy to see the damage done to its premises by the suicide car bomber.
 
The powerful blast blew up the mission watch tower, destroyed vehicles and left a trail of death and destruction.
 
Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad said the "Indian Embassy was the target" but the suicide bomber failed to breach the security perimeter.

The Indian Embassy staff was safe although the three ITBP personnel suffered "slight injuries" in the attack.
 
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and identified the bomber as Khalid, Al Jazeera TV channel said.