Large blast heard in southern Afghan city of Kandahar; no immediate casualty reports

Large blast in Afghanistan’s Kandahar city

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A large explosion has been heard in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. No casualty reports were immediately available.

The blast was in the city’s commercial center near the Continental Hotel.

Kandahar is the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban and the province surrounding it is the site of a U.S.-led military operation to strengthen government control.

Insurgent attacks and coalition raids have intensified across Afghanistan as 30,000 more American troops arrive to try to turn around the 9-year-old war against the Taliban and stabilize the Afghan government.