Taliban militants have warned the country to avoid voting in the presidential elections. Claiming responsibility for the attack, Taliban militants said that they had aimed to strike the NATO headquarters and the American embassy, which is only a little further down the street. A Taliban spokesman identified the suicide bomber as Ahmadullah from the Bagrami district of Kabul. The impact of Saturday's blast was so severe that windows of many nearby shops were shattered. Soon after the blast, people were seen running for shelter, a number of children were also wounded in the attack.

A NATO official said that some soldiers were also injured in the blast, which occurred just 30 yards from the NATO gate. He blamed the Taliban for the deaths of innocent civilians.