AFGHANISTAN | During the visit of U.S. Secretary At least 18 dead, eight of them children, in two suicide bombings in Afghanistan

Cieciocho people have been killed in two suicide attacks in Afghanistan. In one of them, in the city of Khost, eight children and a policeman were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a joint patrol of Afghan forces and NATO. In the other, at least nine people have died in a suicide attack on Afghan Defense Miniserio. A suicide bomber has exploded a bomb near Kabul Ministerioen, hours after Secretary of Defense of the United States, Chuck Hagel, comenzase a surprise visit to Afghanistan, according to NATO. A spokesman for the Allied forces said Hagel was "in a safe place"during the attack, which occurred around 9:00 am local time (4:30 GMT) when the attacker approached by bicycle to the front door of the Ministry of Defence. Police in the Afghan capital reported that the explosion, which caused 13 injuries occurred when the officials arrived at the home ministry. "Today a suicide bomber wearing a vest bomb detonated his explosives at the gate of the ministry, "said Mujahid. Hagel arrived this morning in Kabul on a surprise visit on his first international trip as defense secretary, nine days after being appointed. The U.S. Cabinet member will meet with his Afghan counterpart Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, and U.S. Gen. Joseph Dunford, who commands the NATO mission in Afghanistan. In a message to staff of the Allied forces, Hagel said the new role in supporting Afghan army is "a difficult and dangerous mission ." Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack and says his intent "was to show that they are always able to attack Kabul , even when a U.S. representative. " This is the fourth attack strikes Afghanistan in two weeks, and the second in Kabul after a suicide bomber on a military bus launched in late February, wounding five officers, along with a civilian. Rise of the Taliban has not been quelled despite eleven years of international presence and more than 130,000 foreign troops in the country.