Defence Secretary leads tributes to British security worker killed in suicide bomb ...

Afghan bomb: Brit killed

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has led tributes to a British security worker five killed in a suicide bomb strike on a UK embassy vehicle in Afghanistan.

Dozens were injured in the Kabul attack and a second Brit member of the security team was also hurt after a Taliban car driver blew himself up.

The attack on a British embassy car in East Kabul has been condemned as 'appalling' by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

It came amid a wave of suicide bombs in recent weeks as Taliban forces have targeted foreign officials in recent weeks, following the NATO troop withdrawal.

Taliban insurgents immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it 'targeted foreign invading forces'.

British officials confirmed 'two embassy personnel' were among the five killed.

Mr Hammond added: 'I am deeply saddened to confirm that a British national civilian security team member and an Afghan national working for the embassy were killed in the incident. A second British member of the security team was injured.

'I condemn this appalling attack on innocent civilians supporting our diplomatic activity.

'The families of the victims have been informed and my thoughts are with them. The Foreign Office will do everything it can to support them.

'This outrage brings home to us once again the courage and perseverance of the people of Afghanistan and members of the international community who support them, who have lived together through decades of conflict.

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Bomb: A wounded Afghan youth receives assistance at the scene of the suicide attack

'We will not allow such inhumanity to deter us from continuing our partnership with the government of Afghanistan.

A Reuters witness saw at least one survivor being led away from the charred shell of the vehicle on foot by a member of the British security force.

The interior ministry said the attacker was travelling by car.

Thursday's bombing was at least the fourth in Kabul since Monday, when two American soldiers were killed in a powerful blast near the airport.