KABUL – Dozens of people were wounded with fatalities feared as a powerfulexplosion rocked Kabul early Monday, targeting an area of the Afghancapital housing military and government buildings, officials said.
The rush-hour explosion sent a plume of smoke into the air above the PuliMahmood Khan neighbourhood of the city, interior ministry spokesman NasratRahimi said.
An AFP reporter said he could hear gunshots shortly after the blast.
“Dozens of wounded were taken to hospitals from today’s blast in Kabul,”health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar tweeted.
The area was quickly blocked off by Afghan forces and ambulances, while thenearby “Green Zone” diplomatic area was put on lockdown, with no oneallowed in or out.
The heavily-secured neighbourhood is home to some military and governmentbuildings, including one shared by Afghanistan’s intelligence agency anddefence ministry, as well as the Afghan Football Federation and the AfghanCricket Board.
Shams Amini, a football federation spokesman, told AFP that the blastoccurred near the federation’s gates.
“Some of our colleagues are trapped inside, we have reports of someinjuries. We don’t know if the attackers have entered the building,” hesaid.
Nearby Shamshad TV station, which was attacked in 2017, aired images ofbroken glass and damage to its offices but said it was not the target.
Read Top Stories
No group immediately claimed responsibility, and police said they did notyet know the target or nature of the blast.
Both the Taliban and the so-called Islamic State group are active in Kabul.
The explosion came two days after the Taliban and the US began theirseventh round of talks in the Qatari capital of Doha as Washington eyes abreakthrough before Afghanistan’s September presidential election.
The negotiations have so far centred on four issues — counter-terrorism,the foreign troop presence, an intra-Afghan dialogue and a permanentceasefire.
A potential deal would see the US agree to withdraw its troops after morethan 17 years in Afghanistan, igniting deep concerns among huge swathes ofAfghans who fear the militants will return to some semblance of power.
In return the Taliban would guarantee the country would never again becomea safe haven for violent extremist groups, as happened with Al-Qaeda beforethe September 11, 2001 attacks.
US officials have previously said they are hoping for a deal before theupcoming Afghan presidential elections, which have already been delayedtwice and are now set for September. -APP/AFP
