Romanian diplomat killed, another wounded in Kabul attack. Minister: Victim died trying to save others

A representative of Romania’s Embassy to Kabul died and another was seriously injured in a terrorist attack targeting foreign citizens during the night of September 2-3, the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced.

Foreign minister Ramona Manescu said the attack targeted the Romanian Embassy. She said it was an hours-long assault and that the respective building is unusable.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and PM Viorica Dancila both condemned the attack and sent their condolences to the family of the victim.

Minister Manescu said that the diplomat who lost his life, who was 43, was part of the security structure of the diplomatic mission and died to save others. She said in an intervention on TV channel Antena 3 that „the Embassy, Romania’s mission there was targeted. The attack started in the evening, of course it was a sustained attack, with car bombs as Taliban terrorists are used to”.

She said that at the time of the attack 12 Romanian diplomats were at the Kabul mission.

The injured Romanian citizen is due to be transferred to Europe as soon as possible, depending on his health condition.

At least 16 people, all civilians, were killed and 119 others were injured in an attack in Kabul Monday night, according to a toll published by the Afghan Interior ministry on Tuesday. Five attackers were reportedly killed and search and rescue missions lasted until early hours today.

The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took place close to a vast complex in the Green Area hosting humanitarian agencies and international organisations.