Kabul: At least seven people were killed and 41 others, including several children, were injured in a car bomb blast near a mosque in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Friday. A Taliban official gave this information. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. There have been several such attacks since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan a year ago. Black smoke enveloped the sky after the blast in the city’s diplomatic area today and several minutes of gunshots were heard.
A Taliban-appointed spokesman in the interior ministry, Abdul Nafi Takor, said a vehicle laden with explosives was parked on the side of the road near the mosque and was detonated when the worshipers were leaving the mosque after Friday prayers. Takor said that the police are on the spot and an investigation is going on.
The Italian Emergency Hospital here had earlier told that 14 injured were brought to it, of which four died after reaching the hospital. Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul police chief, said the blast was aimed at worshipers leaving the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque after Friday prayers.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, “Targeting mosques and worshipers is an unpardonable crime. The country should cooperate with the government in eliminating criminals. Meanwhile, the UN mission in Kabul tweeted that the bombing was “another stark reminder of the ongoing insecurity and terrorist activity in Afghanistan”. He said, “Our condolences are with those killed. We wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
