Taliban truck bomb blast rocks Afghan capital Kabul

A huge truck bomb has exploded in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, briefly knocking out the city’s electricity.

There have been no casualties’ reports from the blast which went off on early Monday outside the Northgate hotel on the outskirts of the city.

The hotel is in fact a heavily guarded compound favored by contractors and is equipped with blast walls, watchtowers and sniffer dogs.

"A truck packed with explosives struck the entrance of Northgate," an Afghan security source was quoted by AFP.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said paved the way for its members to enter the compound.

All roads leading to and from the hotel have been closed by Afghan commandos and Special Forces.

According to reports, the blast was so strong that resulting tremors could be felt across the city.

Earlier, Afghan officials announced that at least two dozen police officers have been killed in a series of attacks by the Taliban militants in the southern province of Helmand over the last 48 hours.

The militants have intensified attacks following the appointment of Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the new leader of the Taliban.

The incident came just over one week after over 80 people were killed and hundreds more injured as twin blasts targeted a street demonstration in Kabul where thousands of Shia Hazara demonstrators had gathered from early in the morning in protest against a controversial power line project. The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

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