Afghan intelligence official says Pakistan-based militants behind last week’s attacks in Kabul

Official says Pakistani group behind Kabul attacks

KABUL — An Afghan intelligence official is blaming the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for last week’s car bomb and suicide attacks that killed 16 people in the heart of the capital, Kabul.

The Afghan Taliban have already claimed responsibility.

Lashkar-e-Taiba is the same group India blames for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people, further souring relations between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.

Saeed Ansari, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, said Tuesday that his agency has evidence that Pakistanis were involved in the attacks on Kabul guest houses frequented by Indians and other foreigners. Six Indians were among the dead in the attacks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

KABUL (AP) — NATO says a coalition service member has been killed in the Taliban-dominated Afghan south.

The alliance said its fighter was killed Tuesday by small arms fire but would not identify the nationality or give further details.

However, spokesman Master Sgt. Jeff Loftin said the death was not related to the ongoing Marjah offensive in the southern province of Helmand. American and Afghan forces cleared the Taliban-held area after a two-week offensive and are now working to secure the former insurgent stronghold.

Tuesday’s death came a day after six NATO troops died in separate attacks across Afghanistan, a grim beginning to March. A total of 49 international troops died in Afghanistan last month.