KABUL - A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a gate of the Afghan Defence Ministry in Kabul on Saturday and the attack was followed by small-arms fire, said a spokesman for Afghanistan's NATO-led force.There was no immediate word on casualties in the blast which took place during a visit by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman said Hagel was nowhere near the explosion. A US defense official said Hagel was in a safe location at an ISAF facility.The attack underscored the security challenges facing Afghanistan as US-led NATO forces prepare to leave the country by the end of 2014.
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)