The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) belied on Saturday initial reports (not in the Manila Bulletin) that a Filipino was among the fatalities in Friday’s suicide attack in Afghanistan but confirmed that a Filipino had been injured.

“The Philippine Embassy in Islamabad (Pakistan) reported to the DFA that there is no Filipino fatality during a recent attack in the Afghanistan province of Kunduz,” DFA Spokesman J. Eduardo Malaya said.

However, Malaya confirmed that a certain Joven Topanan, a Filipino, was injured in the attack of Taliban suicide bombers on the compound of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kunduz.

He said Topanan survived the attack and was receiving medical treatment at the Provincial Reconstruction Team offices in Kuduz where workers in the USAID compound were evacuated.

“The Philippine Embassy is coordinating with Mr. Topanan’s principals in ensuring his safety,” Malaya assured.

The DFA official said Topanan works for Edinburg International, a security subcontractor of Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) which is a Washington-based consulting firm.

The Associated Press reported that a suicide car bomber blasted a hole through the wall of the DAI office in the USAID compound.

At least five other attackers then ran inside the building, killing or wounding security guards and others inside before dying in a gunbattle with Afghan security forces who raced to the scene. Afghan authorities said the five were all wearing explosive vests, AP reported.

Earlier, Agence France Presse reported that a Briton and a Filipino died in the attack.

The report on the Filipino fatality, however, was belied by the DFA after Philippine embassy officials in Islamabad, which has jurisdiction of Filipinos in neighboring Afghanistan, verified the report.

Later, German authorities confirmed that one of the foreigners killed in the suicide bombing was one its citizens.

It will be recalled that in October 2009, Filipina, Josie Esto, was among the fatalities of a suicide attack carried out by the Taliban in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Esto served as an Electoral Outreach and Training Coordinator under the United Nations Volunteers Program.

Filipinos serve in various international organizations as officials, peacekeepers, specialists, staff members and volunteers.