1ST LEAD: Suicide bomber kills 27 on Afghan Army bus

At least 27 Afghan National Army service members were killed and many more wounded in a suicide bombing against a military bus Saturday morning in Kabul. Interior Ministry spokesman Zmarai Bashari told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa that 27 people were known dead and 21 wounded, and the casualties were likely to rise. "Civilians were also among the victims," he said. Without mentioning civilian casualties, the Afghan Defence Ministry said in a statement that 27 of its personnel were killed and 21 wounded in the attack at 6:40 am. The bomber was wearing an Afghan Army uniform when he approached the bus and detonated himself. The Islamic militant Taliban movement claimed responsibility for the attack through spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Witnesses also reported slain civilians in the bombing, which took place in front of a cinema in a shopping district. The huge explosion rattled parts of the capital. The blast is the deadliest suicide attack this year in Kabul. Such bombings have become common in southern and eastern Afghanistan but have been less frequent in Kabul. In July, a similar attack on a police bus in central Kabul killed more than 20 police officers. dpa yb ff