3 US soldiers wounded in suicide attack near embassy in Kabul

The Associated Press

7 years ago

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday the target of the bomber was a convoy of foreign forces. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

A damaged US military vehicle is being pulled near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Afghan officials say that at least four people have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in the capital Kabul. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

Security forces inspect at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Afghan officials say that at least four people have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in the capital Kabul. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

Security forces inspect at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday the target of the bomber was a convoy of foreign forces. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday the target of the bomber was a convoy of foreign forces. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

A damaged U.S. military vehicle is pictured at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday the target of the bomber was a convoy of foreign forces.(Massoud Hossaini/AP)

A civilian vehicle is seen at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 3 , 2017. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday the target of the bomber was a convoy of foreign forces. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide car bomber struck a U.S. military convoy in the Afghan capital on Wednesday, killing at least eight Afghan civilians and wounding three U.S. service members, officials said.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said another 25 Afghan civilians were wounded in the morning rush-hour attack near the U.S. Embassy, which destroyed several civilian vehicles

U.S. Navy Cpt. Bill Salvin, a military spokesman, confirmed that three soldiers were wounded in the attack.

No one immediately claimed the attack, but the Taliban announced the start of their annual spring offensive on Friday, and have repeatedly targeted Afghan and U.S. forces in the past.

Afghan forces have struggled to contain the Taliban since the U.S. and NATO officially concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a support and counterterrorism role. The U.S. has more than 8,000 troops in the country.