Angela Merkel condemns "murderous attack"

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Car bomb in Afghanistan Angela Merkel condemns "murderous attack"

The Chancellor has roundly condemned the attack in Kabul. "We are all shocked today by this devastating and murderous attack in the immediate vicinity of the German Embassy in Kabul," said Angela Merkel. Many people were killed when a car bomb exploded.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel has strongly condemned the attack in the Afghan capital. She expressed her deepest sympathy for the families of the victims. "My thoughts and my sympathy are with the victims of this attack and their families," said Angela Merkel, who was attending the annual meeting of the Association of German Cities in Nurnberg.

"At moments like this it is once again clear to us that terrorism knows no borders. It targets all of us, whether we are in Manchester or Berlin, Paris, Istanbul, Saint Petersburg or, like today, in Kabul," continued the Chancellor. "Today we are united in our shock and in our sorrow across borders, but we are also united in our determination. All of us who believe in the rights, liberty and dignity of human beings, in Europe, in America, in Africa and of course in Afghanistan, will fight the terrorists – and we will win."

A car bomb, which exploded in Kabul’s diplomatic district on Wednesday morning killed many people. The German Embassy in Afghanistan’s capital city was severely damaged.

Embassy staff affected

Two members of staff of the German Embassy were injured in the attack. They are now in safety and are receiving treatment, reported deputy government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer at the government press conference. An Afghan employee of a security firm was killed in the attack. "Our thoughts are with those injured in the attack and with the families of the victims. On behalf of the German government I wish those injured in the attack swift medical care, a rapid recovery, and the strength to put this dreadful experience behind them."

The German government also extended its condolences to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and his government, said the deputy government spokesperson. "Germany stands shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism." The Chancellor reiterated this in her most recent telephone conversation with the Afghan President only last week.

The Crisis Unit has met at the Federal Foreign Office to investigate the situation further. The travel and security warnings for Afghanistan issued by the Federal Foreign Office have been updated.