KABUL: At least seven people were killed and ten wounded, including fourforeigners, when a minivan packed with explosives detonated during Kabul´smorning rush hour Wednesday, an interior ministry spokesman said.
The spokesman, Nasrat Rahimi, said the bomb — targeting an SUV belonging toa private Canadian security company, GardaWorld — had gone off in aneighbourhood which is near the interior ministry and north of Kabulairport.
“As a result, seven of our people were killed and ten, including fourforeign members of the security company, were wounded,” he said, describingthe dead as Afghan civilians.
He did not confirm the nationalities of the foreigners involved.
Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi said that one of those killed was a13-year-old child heading to school.
“The enemies of our people should know that our people are determined forpeace, nothing can stop them from achieving peace,” he said.
A source at the interior ministry said the blast was detonated by a suicidebomber in the vehicle, which officials had earlier described as a car.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Both the Taliban and Daeshare active in the city, which is one of the deadliest places in thewar-torn country for civilians.
The blast came one day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced thatKabul would release three high-ranking Taliban prisoners in an apparentprisoner swap with Western hostages who were kidnapped by the insurgents in2016.
The three Taliban prisoners include Anas Haqqani, who was seized in 2014and whose older brother is the deputy Taliban leader and head of theHaqqani network, a notorious Taliban affiliate.
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Ghani did not specify the fate of the Western hostages — an Australian andan American, both professors at the American University in Kabul — and itwas not clear when or where they would be freed.
The two, American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, were kidnappedin August 2016 from the heart of Kabul.
They later appeared looking haggard in a Taliban hostage video, with theinsurgents going on to say that King was in poor health.
Ghani noted in his speech that “their health has been deteriorating whilein the custody of the terrorists”.
He also did not state when or where the Taliban prisoners would be freed.
The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP Wednesday that he couldnot confirm anything about the swap yet.
“When our captives reach their destination, the American Universityprofessors will be released,” he said.
Ghani said that he hoped the decision would help “pave the way” for thestart of unofficial direct talks between his government and the Taliban,who have long refused to negotiate with the administration in Kabul.-APP/AFP
