21 killed in Kabul suicide attack

Afghan security forces arrive at the scene of an explosion in Kabul January 17, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

On Friday night, gunfire continued for about 20 minutes after the blast and the main road leading to the area was cordoned off.

After the explosion, two gunmen stormed into the restaurant and started shooting at people dining there, security sources said, adding that foreign casualties had been taken to an international military camp in eastern Kabul.

In a nearby hospital, those wounded from the attack screamed and some people cried, pressing scarves against their faces to stifle sobs, as doctors administered treatment. One man, the son of an Afghan victim, kicked the wall as he howled in grief.

"One of the restaurant's cooks was injured," said Abdul Bashir, a doctor. "Two dead bodies have been taken to the morgue."

Hashmat Stanekzai, a spokesman for Kabul police, said earlier that an operation to clear the building was under way.

"The clearance operation is still ongoing. Our security forces are not inside the restaurant yet," he said. "There might be some insurgents inside so we have to act carefully to avoid possible casualties."

The attack as most foreign forces are preparing to leave Afghanistan this year after more than a decade of war and almost daily attacks.

Security concerns have been rising ahead of an April presidential election when Afghans will choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai, an event likely to be targeted by the Taliban insurgents.

Security remains a major concern as Afghanistan and the United States struggle to agree on a key bilateral security pact, raising the prospect that Washington may yet pull out all of its troops this year unless differences are ironed out.

Two years ago, the United States ended its military mission in Iraq with a similar "zero option" after the failure of talks with Baghdad.

Karzai is still deliberating whether to allow some US troops to stay to help his nation regain calm and stability after years of conflict. If no agreement is reached, Afghan forces would be left to fight the insurgents on their own.