Kabul Suicide Attack, 24 Dead And 40 Wounded, Taliban Claims Responsibility [Breaking]


A suicide attacker has reportedly detonated a car bomb in the western part of Kabul. The deadly suicide attack has killed at least 24 people and wounded more than 40. According to Afghan officials, the suicide car bomb targeted a bus carrying ministry staff in Afghanistan’s capital city.

As reported by Al Jazeera, the intelligence officials revealed that the bus was carrying the staff of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum when it came under attack on Monday morning. The attack happened just after 2:30 GMT and took place close to the house of the deputy government Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqi. A spokesman for deputy government Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqi suggested the attackers may have been trying to target his home but “were stopped by guards.”

The acting Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said in a statement that the causality toll could rise in the coming hours.

The suicide bomb bus was completely destroyed, along with three other cars and several shops which were in the range of the bomb. In a statement given out by Kabul’s police chief spokesman Basir Mujahid, the bomb was detonated at one of the busiest times of the day and there were many children who got wounded from the detonating bomb.

“There were traffic jams with people going to work and to the university and schools. Many of the shops had just opened.”

[Image by Massoud Hossaini/AP Images]

The Hazaras community had called a demonstration for Monday to commemorate a suicide bombing that apparently killed 84 in the same area on July 23, 2016. The Hazaras are one of Kabul’s largest ethnic minorities and due to the morning’s suicide attack, the demonstration was postponed by authorities.

The latest suicide bombing adds to the ongoing violence in Afghanistan, where at least 1,662 civilians were killed this year. According to a report from Independent, the capital city has accounted for at least 20 percent of all civilian casualties in 2017. The casualties include at least 150 people killed in a massive truck bomb attack at the end of May.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the latest attack on “civilians and government staff,” while the interior ministry criticized it as “a criminal act against humanity.”

Eyewitnesses to the attack said shattered glass from nearby buildings was scattered all over the street.

“The sound was very strong, the ground shook,” said Mohammed Nader, who owns a convenience store.

Al Jazeera has reportedly confirmed that the Taliban group of terrorists have claimed responsibility for the attack. A Taliban spokesman claimed the bus that was attacked had been under surveillance for months and was carrying “intelligence workers.”

[Featured Image by Massoud Hossaini/AP Images]

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