A auto bomb hit the centre of Kabul late on Monday, just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people, including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.
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“The group targeted the Defense Ministry with two blasts “” a bomb explosion and a suicide attacker,” said Sediq Sediqi, a spokesman for Interior Ministry.
Explosions rang out Tuesday during an hours-long attack on an worldwide charity in Kabul, the latest assault in a wave of violence in the Afghan capital that has killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens.
(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul). CORRECTS SECOND SENTENCE – Afghans are reflected in the shattered glasses of a damaged shop near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.
The double bombing came less than two weeks after gunmen attacked the American University in Kabul, killing 13 people. Twin bombings near the Afghan Defense Ministry have killed dozens of people in an attack claimed by the Tali. “More than 30 people who were trapped have been evacuated by the security forces”, Sediqqi said.
The uptick in violence in the capital comes as the Taliban escalate nationwide attacks, underscoring the worsening security situation and the heavy price paid by civilians since North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces ended their combat mission at the end of 2014.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard in an area with many shops and businesses and initial reports suggested that a guesthouse had been targeted, with attackers suspected to have entered the building, an Interior Ministry official said.
A district police chief and an army general were among those killed in the attack, three officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
The BBC reported that traffic was blocked in several parts of the city and schools were closed.
“The second blast was carried out as security officials rushed to gather to the scene of the first explosion for help.”.
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More than 15 years since the US -led invasion toppled the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the resilient insurgent group has demonstrated a continuing ability to strike at the heart of the capital, targeting everyone from security forces to college students. “The insurgents have been fighting to overthrow the USA -backed government for 15 years, and frequently target Afghan security forces”.
