The Taliban claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack on the office of Dyncorp Inc., which provides bodyguards for Afghan President Hamid Karzai and works for the U.S. government in Iraq.

Security officials have issued several warnings in recent weeks that anti-government militants could ramp up attacks to disrupt its landmark presidential election.

The blast came hours after another explosion killed at least nine people, eight of them children, at a school in southeastern Afghanistan, underlining the country's fragile security as it moves toward the Oct. 9 vote.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy e-mailed Americans in Kabul to tell them to limit their movements, take strict security measures and avoid "potential target areas" such as government offices, NATO bases and restaurants.

Mullah Hakim Latifi, a man who claims to speak for the Taliban, said one of its members carried out the Kabul attack with a time-bomb loaded in a vehicle, and warned that more would follow.

"Taliban began trying to place a bomb in this area three days ago, and finally they have succeeded," Latifi told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"We appeal to civilians to stay away from the elections and places where the Americans and coalition are living and working," he said. "They are our priority targets."

His claim could not be verified independently.

Haji Ikramuddin, the chief of police in the downtown Shar-e-Naw district where the blast occurred, said Monday that no one had been arrested over the blast and that "American professionals" were combing the scene of the blast.

On Monday morning, police and NATO troops were preventing anyone from approaching the area. Shopkeepers swept up glass from windows blown out by the heavy explosion.

Karzai's office said in a statement late Sunday that "two Americans, three Nepalese and two Afghan nationals" were confirmed dead. None were named.

Witnesses said several others, including Afghans and foreigners, were taken away with serious injuries.

Neither police, the U.S. Embassy or the Afghan Health Ministry had any word Monday on whether the toll had risen overnight.

Karzai and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad expressed shock at the bombing against the contractor, which had been helping train Afghanistan's new national police.

"This cowardly attack will not deter U.S. participation in the ongoing effort to help Afghanistan stand on its own feet," Khalilzad said, describing the bombing as a "terrorist attack."

Dyncorp Inc. is a division of Computer Sciences Corp. based in El Segundo, California. CSC spokesman Mike Dickerson said the Dyncorp office was hit by "an apparent car bombing."

Reporters saw the mutilated body of one man lying in the street near the burning wreckage of several cars. Windows were blown out over a wide area.

Some Afghans turned their anger against the thousands of foreign troops and security agents still in Afghanistan more than two years after the fall of the Taliban.

"It was a very, very big explosion, and there were a lot of injured," said Ahmad Emal, a young shopkeeper. "These foreigners should leave the residential areas."

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.


Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.