5 journos among 21 killed in Afghanistan blasts

At least 25 people, including five journalists, were killed in two explosions on Monday morning in the Afghan capital Kabul, according to government officials, reports CNN.

The first blast took place at around at 8 a.m. local time in the Shashdarak area of the city, where the US embassy and Afghan government buildings are located, prompting journalists to rush to the scene. 

The second explosion came as an attacker, disguised as a cameraman, detonated explosives at the site of the initial explosion, said Kabul City Police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai.

Five journalists from different news media outlets died in the attack, according to Najib Sharifi, director of the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee. 

French news agency Agence France Presse confirmed that its chief photographer Shah Marai was among the dead.

A further 45 people were injured in the two incidents, and have been taken to city hospitals, according to Ministry of Public Health spokesman Wahid Majroh.

The site of the explosion was close to NATO's Afghan headquarters, the US embassy and Afghan government buildings, including the Presidential palace, the Defense Ministry and the headquarters of Afghanistan's intelligence services. 

US Ambassador John Bass condemned the attack. 

"I condemn today's terrible Kabul attack (and) reaffirm our commitment (to) stand with the Afghan people in their fight for peace (and) security across Afghanistan. We mourn for those murdered, including the brave journalists who stand for truth in the face of violence," he wrote on Twitter.