Over Six Killed, Others Injured In Suicide Bomb Attack Near Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry
A suicide attack not far from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry has killed at least six civilians and wounded several others, the interior ministry has said.
The attacker was targeted by Afghan forces but the explosives he carried detonated and “killed six civilians and wounded a number of others”, ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted on Monday.
Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said a suicide attacker was identified at a security checkpoint near the ministry.
“In Malik Asghar Square … a suicide attacker before reaching the target was identified at a checkpoint and killed, but his explosives detonated,” he said.
He did not name the target, but the blast took place in a busy downtown area near a checkpoint that guards a heavily fortified street housing several government buildings, including the foreign ministry.
Zadran said at least three Taliban security force members were among the wounded.
A hospital run by an Italian NGO said it received some patients at its surgical centre in the capital Kabul specialising in treating victims of Afghanistan’s long war.
A tweet from the NGO said at least one child was among the injured. No group has claimed responsibility so far.
Two witnesses told the Reuters news agency they heard the sound of a large explosion near the heavily fortified area that is home to several government buildings and foreign embassies.
Kabul and other urban areas have been hit by attacks in recent months, some of which have been claimed by ISIL (ISIS).
A blast in January killed at least five people and injured dozens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as employees streamed out of the building at the end of their work day.
The Taliban administration has said it is focused on securing the country and has carried out several raids against suspected ISIL members in recent weeks.
Monday’s incident took place around lunchtime when the city is especially crowded as government office staff leave early for the day during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
Local media reported all routes leading to the blast scene were cordoned off by police.
