An Afghan official says at least 22 people including six military personnel have been killed in a suicide attack in the capital Kabul, Associated Press reported.
The report said a spokesman for Kabul Police Chief identified as Firdaus Faramarz, on Tuesday said that aside from the 22 reportedly killed, 38 others were wounded in the attack that took place near the Massoud intersection in Kabul. He said:
“There are both women and children among those killed or wounded in the attack,” said Faramarz.
The Taliban are also reported to have claimed responsibility to the deadly attack in northern Afghanistan, which was said to have targeted President Ashraf Ghani’s campaign rally, and another attack near the U.S. Embassy.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, says one suicide bomber targeted presidential guards who were protecting Ghani and the rally in northern Parwan province along with other members of the security forces.
Ghani was unhurt in the attack and it wasn’t immediately known if any of his guards were hurt in the explosion in Parwan on Tuesday.
Mujahid claims the suicide bomber in Kabul targeted an Afghan army base. Afghan officials have not yet provided details on that attack.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry also condemned the attack which report says majority of those killed were women and children.
The Pakistan’s foreign ministry denounced the attack and offered condolences to the families of the victims as well as prayers for a speedy recovery of all the wounded.
A statement by the ministry says that “Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms,” adding Islamabad’s support for Afghan efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability to the war-ravaged country.
Kabul often accuses Pakistan of backing the Taliban, who have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan in recent months, an allegation Pakistan has denied.
Also, Iran’s foreign ministry says a delegation of the Taliban has visited Tehran to discuss prospects for peace in Afghanistan.
The semi-official Borna news agency on Tuesday quoted the ministry’s spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, as saying the delegation discussed “the latest” developments with the Iranian side.
It did not elaborate. On Monday, Taliban spokesman in Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, said the delegation is in Iran. In December, Iran confirmed a rare visit of a similar delegation to Tehran.
The talks were not the first between the Taliban and Iranian officials. In 2018, Iran said such talks had taken place in the past and that it would continue to facilitate talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government as part of efforts to bring a negotiated end to Afghanistan’s 18-year war.
(AP/Yellowdanfo)