23 killed in Kabul twin blasts

Kabul, April 30 (IANS) At least 23 persons were killed and five injured after two blasts rocked the diplomatic district here on Monday, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry.

"A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle detonated his explosive in Shash Darak locality in Police District 9 at around 8 a.m. The explosion has caused panic among the residents and the whole place has now been sealed off," a witness told Xinhua news agency. 

Details of the second blast are awaited.

The target of the blast is yet to be determined. The incident occurred near a sub-office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the country's primary intelligence agency.

The area also houses several foreign embassies, the NATO-led coalition forces' headquarters and scores of apartment buildings.