Karzai assures probe into attack near Indian embassy

Afghan President Hamid Karzai today assured India that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the suicide bomb attack near the Indian embassy here, to ascertain who was behind it.      

The assurance came when Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met him soon after arriving in Kabul, to take stock of the situation in the wake of Thursday's blast that killed 17 people, and discuss issues related to the security of Indians and their assets in the face of continued threat from Taliban.      

The Afghan Foreign Ministry had on Thursday hinted at Pakistani links to the attack near the Indian embassy as it said the blast was "planned and implemented from outside the borders of Afghanistan".

During his meeting with Rao, Karzai said India and Afghanistan are on the same side of fight against terrorism.      

Rao, who arrived here this morning on a two-day visit, expressed grief at the loss of 17 innocent lives in the attack, the second on the mission after the July 2008 strike.      

The Foreign Secretary also held detailed discussions with Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Rao said she had come here to express solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and to extend sympathies to families of those who died and suffered injuries in the attack.      

Asked who was suspected to be behind the attack, Rao said investigations are on in this regard.      

She also visited the Indian Embassy to see the damage caused to the premises by the blast, which blew up the mission watch tower and damaged the boundary wall.