Kabul attack death toll rises to 80

An Afghan health official has raised the death toll from the massive suicide car bombing in Kabul earlier on May 31, saying the attack killed 80 people.

Ismail Kawasi, spokesman for the public health ministry, says that the number of the wounded now stands at 350. He says the target of the attack was not immediately known but that most of the casualties were civilians, including women and children.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for explosion, which struck the heart of Kabul's highly secure diplomatic district, the Wazir Akbar Khan area. The neighborhood is home to several embassies and not far from the Presidential Palace and foreign ministry. German and Pakistani authorities have said some of their employees and staff were hurt in the explosion.

Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel says the explosion in Kabul has wounded employees of the German Embassy and killed an Afghan security guard outside the building.

Gabriel said all embassy workers are now safe and offered his condolences to the family of the slain guard.

The Foreign Ministry has activated a crisis team to help deal with the aftermath of the bombing on Wednesday that hit at the heart of Kabul's diplomatic section, the explosion going off in a highly secure area close to the German and several other embassies.

Afghan officials say 64 people were killed and as many as 320 were wounded. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Gabriel says "our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims. We wish those injured a quick recovery."

He vowed that the attack would not shake Germany's determination to "support the Afghan regime with the stabilization of their country."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has...