Afghanistan blast near NATO headquarters

Zoya Azizi, 26, was injured in the car bombing while arriving at her job at the ministry of transportation. Her mother Zarjona holds her hand. As with many such attacks on official installations, the brunt of the explosion was taken by Afghan civilians.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Guards patrol outside the main gate. Damage to the main gate of NATO forces headquarters in Kabul and the surrounding area show how closely insurgents were able to get.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Debris litters the blast area. The attack took place about 30 yards from the main entrance to the base in Kabul.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

British NATO forces guard at main gate of headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Guards and emergency personnel canvas the blast site. The attacker or attackers, carrying a payload of about 600 pounds of high explosives, would have had to pass through several rings of security to get this close to the military site.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Guards and other forces secure the scene of the explosion.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

A man carries a piece of debris away from the site of the explosion. The attack was the worst in the Afghan capital since February.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)