KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai is condemning two suicide attacks that killed at least 19 people today.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack outside the Defense Ministry in Kabul, calling it a message to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Hagel is making his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief.
Karzai's office says nine Afghan civilians were killed in that attack, while two police officers and eight children were killed in an attack in Khost.
In a statement, Karzai says: "The perpetrators of such attacks are cowards who are killing innocent children at the orders of foreigners."
Hagel was nowhere near the Kabul blast, but heard it across the city. He told reporters the Taliban should know the U.S. is going to continue to work with allies to insure the Afghan people can develop their own country and democracy.
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142-w-30-(Tim Maguire, AP correspondent, with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel)--Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he's not surprised by a suicide bombing during his visit to Afghanistan. AP correspondent Tim Maguire reports. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *142 (03/09/13)>> 00:30
143-a-11-(Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, with reporters)-"work this out"-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he is meeting with Afghan leaders to discuss U.S. hopes of keeping special operations forces in Wardak province past Monday's deadline for their departure. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *143 (03/09/13)>> 00:11 "work this out"
127-q-10-(Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, with reporters)-"just a reality"-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was asked about the two suicide attacks on his first full day visiting Afghanistan. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *127 (03/09/13)>> 00:10 "just a reality"
129-a-10-(Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, with reporters)-"there's an explosion"-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he wasn't surprised when he heard the explosion that turned out to be a suicide bomber. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *129 (03/09/13)>> 00:10 "there's an explosion"
128-a-04-(Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, with reporters)-"in a briefing"-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he heard the explosion when the first suicide bomber struck. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *128 (03/09/13)>> 00:04 "in a briefing"
016-c-13-(Kimberly Dozier, AP correspondent)-"of the attack"-AP correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was visiting the country as the attack occurred. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *016 (03/09/13)>> 00:13 "of the attack"
015-c-10-(Kimberly Dozier, AP correspondent)-"location and unharmed"-AP correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports the attack came at the same time a top American official was in the area. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *015 (03/09/13)>> 00:10 "location and unharmed"
014-c-08-(Kimberly Dozier, AP correspondent)-"Defense Ministry employees"-AP correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports Afghan officials say an apparent suicide attacker on a bicycle hit the main entrance to the country's defense ministry. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *014 (03/09/13)>> 00:08 "Defense Ministry employees"
043-r-17-(Abdul Ghafoor, eyewitness, saying in Dari: "I was near the Defence Ministry compound when there was a powerful explosion. I saw dead bodies and wounded people lying everywhere, then random shooting started and we escaped the area. I don't know if the attacker was on foot or in a vehicle, but it was a very powerful explosion and there were a lot of vehicles in the area.")--Eyewitness Abdul Ghafoor says in Dari: "I was near the Defense Ministry compound when there was a powerful explosion. I saw dead bodies and wounded people lying everywhere, then random shooting started and we escaped the area. I don't know if the attacker was on foot or in a vehicle, but it was a very powerful explosion and there were a lot of vehicles in the area." (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *043 (03/09/13)>> 00:17
042-r-14-(sound of sirens from ambulances, driving toward the attack site outside the Afghan Defense Ministry)--This is the sound of sirens from ambulances driving toward the attack site outside the Afghan Defense Ministry. (9 Mar 2013)
<<CUT *042 (03/09/13)>> 00:14
