/>The death toll in a Taliban attack on a Kabul restaurant popular with foreigners and affluent Afghans has risen to 21, the deadliest violence against foreign civilians in the country since the start of the war nearly 13 years ago.
"There was a suicide attack on a foreign hotel where special foreign invaders are coming for dinner. In this attack an explosive was used which was very strong and heavy casualties and massive destruction happened," he said.
Zabihullah said the targets of the attack included "high-ranking German officials" and the German foreign ministry said it was investigating. The Taliban frequently provide exaggerated casualty figures.
Insurgents have frequently targeted foreign interests around the country and in Kabul. The Taliban has increased attacks in recent months after foreign forces handed over control of security for the country to the Afghan army and police. Foreign forces are due to withdraw from the country altogether by the end of this year.
A security agreement that would keep about 10,000 US troops and about 6,000 from allied nations past 2014 has been delayed by President Hamid Karzai's refusal to sign it until Afghans elect his successor in the April 5 election.
The deal is seen as crucial to train and mentor the nascent Afghan security forces, which now number about 350,000. If the deal falls through, the US has said it will pull all its forces out of Afghanistan.
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