Saturday evening a car laden with explosives was driven into a security check point outside of Kabul Polytechnic University where the Loya Jirga is expected to convene next week. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The car exploded on impact and reportedly killed an Afghan National Army (ANA) officer and injured two other soldiers.
Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman Sediq Sediqi said the attack left a total of 10 civilians and three soldiers dead, and 29 others injured, including women and children.
Seventeen cars nearby where the suicide bomber detonated his vehicle were completely destroyed, including an ANA transport vehicle. A total of 19 nearby shops were said to have been damaged.
The attacker attempted to evade guards at the check point, presumably trying to gain access to the Loya Jirga grounds, before being fired upon and subsequently detonating the explosives in his car. The massive tent where the Loya Jirga will be held is nestled inside the Polytechnic University's campus in the Afshar area of District 5.
The Loya Jirga, scheduled to begin next Thursday, November 21, has been convened by President Hamid Karzai to deliberate over the Kabul-Washington Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). If signed, the pact would solidify the U.S.' role in Afghan security affairs after the NATO combat mission ends in 2014, including military aid and the continued presence of a small contingent of U.S. troops.
The Jirga has been condemned by the Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami Party, two of the most active anti-government militant groups in Afghanistan who Karzai just hours before the attack had urged to participate in the gathering.
The Loya Jirga is expected to convene roughly 3,000 leaders from around the country and has been the subject of great focus from media and commentators in the past few weeks. It is thought to be a likely target for attacks, but security officials assured they have taken all necessary precautions to protect the event.