KABUL – A suicide bomber targeting a blood drive for victims of recentattacks blew himself up in Kabul on Monday after being spotted by police,officials said, causing no other casualties.
The foiled attack comes exactly a week after a double bombing in the Afghancapital killed 25 people, including AFP chief photographer Shah Marai andeight other journalists.
The latest suicide bomber detonated himself after being spotted and shot atby police in Shar-e-Naw park in the heart of Kabul, police spokesmanHashmat Stanikzai told AFP.
Stanikzai said the bomber had been trying to reach a temporary blooddonation centre that had been set up in the park.
“The attacker was killed. There were no other casualties,” he added.
Interior minister Wais Barmak, who is facing questioning in parliament overdeteriorating security, confirmed police had thwarted the attack.
“The enemy is changing their tactics every day; we are also trying to adaptand change our tactics,” Barmak told MPs.
The incident came as the death toll from Sunday’s explosion inside a voterregistration centre in the eastern province of Khost rose to 17 people, ahealth official told AFP.
Another 36 were wounded, he added.
The bomb had been placed in a tent being used to register voters on thegrounds of a mosque, marking the latest attack on preparations forAfghanistan’s long-delayed legislative elections.
On April 22 a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registrationcentre in Kabul, killing 60 people and wounding more than 100. – APP/AFP