KABUL: A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up after joining a queue to enter a police office in Kabul on Monday, killing 20 people and wounding at least 29 in the worst such attack this year.

The Afghan capital was hit by a series of suicide attacks last month as the Taliban stepped up their campaign against the Western-backed government.

They coincided with renewed efforts to revive a peace process with the Taliban that stalled last year.

The interior ministry said in a statement that 20 people had been killed and 29 others wounded in the bombing.

Taliban claim responsibility for the bombing

In a separate statement, the Nato mission condemned the attack, which it said killed 20 police officers and wounded 25 others as well as seven Afghan civilians.

“Once again, terrorists have targeted a populated area with no regard for innocent lives,” said Brig Gen Wilson Shoffner, resolute support deputy chief of staff for communications.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement that said 40 police officers had been killed or wounded.

The interior ministry initially reported the attack as a suicide car bomb, but later said the attacker appeared to be on foot and detonated himself in a queue of people waiting to get inside the base.

Ambulances and police vehicles rushed to the explosion site in the crowded Dehmazang district west of the city, near the Kabul traffic directorate, which is visited by those seeking driving licences and other documents.

“I saw three bodies on the ground and a number of other people wounded, then ambulances arrived and took all the victims away,” witness Mohammad Ajmal said.

The Afghan National Civil Order Police was set up to control riots and urban disorder but have also been used in counterinsurgency roles against the Taliban.

The health ministry said some of those wounded were hit in the chest by flying shrapnel and were in critical condition.

Delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States are set to convene in Islamabad on Feb 6, in a bid to seek a negotiated end to the Taliban insurgency, now in its 15th year.

CONDEMNATION: Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

“The Government of Pakistan expresses its condolences to the Government of Afghanistan as well as the bereaved families. We reiterate our condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” a Foreign Office statement issued in Islamabad said.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2016