A suicide bomber struck a protest march in Kabul by members of Afghanistan’s ethnic Hazara community, who are predominantly Shiite Muslims.
Advertisement
This attack was the deadliest in Kabul since 2011 when twin blasts in Kabul and Mazar-i Sharif killed 60 people, majority Hazaras who had gathered to commemorate Ashura.
He said 15 people from his village were killed in the attack.
The ministry says in a statement Saturday that at least 231 people were wounded.
Simple wooden coffins covered in the green Shiite flag were carried by men on their shoulders and lowered into graves that relatives had dug themselves with shovels.
But for some, there was fury at both the government and Hazara political leaders.
“Our people want only justice and equal development for all”, he said.
The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about nine per cent of the population, are Afghanistan’s third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed during the period of Taliban rule.
ISIL was quick to claim responsibility.
The attack represents a major escalation for the group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar. President Obama issued a directive in June allowing the USA military to work with Afghan forces on non-combat missions.
“Holding protests is the right of every citizen of Afghanistan…but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security forces”, the presidential palace said.
Although the report indicates that there were two suicide bombers, the Ministry of the Interior shared that there were actually three bombers working together.
UN Secretary-General special representative for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said: “This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. But they will fail”, he said.
The Taliban group rejected hand in the deadly attack and said the move was aimed at sparking tensions among the communities in the country. They had gathered in the west of the city to demand that a proposed electricity transmission line be routed through the Hazara-dominated central province of Bamian. However, it was later rerouted, with the government alleging that the redesigned course cut costs.
The demonstrators were gathering in Demazang Square as their four-hour protest march wound down and they were setting up a camp, Chakhansuri said.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) released the casualties toll late on Saturday night hours after the incident took place.
Advertisement
He said the figure was likely to rise, “as the condition of numerous injured is very serious”.
