Incident
2019 Taliban Suicide Car Bombing Near US Embassy, Kabul
On 5 September 2019, a Taliban suicide car bomber struck the Shash Darak district of central Kabul — a heavily fortified area adjacent to the Green Zone, housing the US Embassy and the Afghan National Directorate of Security — killing at least 12 people, including one American service member and one Romanian soldier, and injuring more than 40 others. The attack was the second major Taliban bombing in Kabul within three days and led US President Donald Trump to cancel the Doha peace talks two days later.
Date
2019-09-05
Status
documentedUpdated
2026-06-26
Location
Kabul
Attributed To
Taliban
Casualties
12 killed, 40+ injured
Overview
On 5 September 2019, a Taliban suicide car bomber detonated an explosive-laden vehicle in the Shash Darak district of central Kabul. The area is among the most heavily fortified in the Afghan capital — it houses the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the primary Afghan intelligence agency, and sits adjacent to the Green Zone, which contains the US Embassy compound and other diplomatic missions. The blast killed at least 12 people, including one American service member and one Romanian soldier serving with the NATO Resolute Support Mission, and wounded more than 40 others.
The Taliban stated the attack specifically targeted vehicles of "foreigners" as they attempted to enter the heavily guarded Shashdarak area. The attack was the second major Taliban bombing in Kabul within three days, following a bombing on
Sources
- 1Taliban suicide bombing kills U.S. soldier, 10 Afghan civilians
PBS NewsHour · 2019-09-05 · Journalism
- 2American service member among at least 12 killed in Taliban suicide attack in Kabul
Fox News · 2019-09-05 · Journalism
- 3Country Reports on Terrorism 2019: Afghanistan
US Department of State · 2020-06-01 · Government Report