Explosions have been heard at a political gathering in Afghan capital, Kabul, according to media reports.
“We have reports of explosions in the western part of Kabul. Investigations have been launched,” said Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman at the interior ministry.
Another source at the interior ministry told local media that the source of the explosions came from someobe firing mortar shells from a house in district 18.
An official with the city’s ambulance services, Mohammad Asim, says five people were wounded in the explosions and were taken to local hospitals. He says more ambulances are at the site, but there is not yet a confirmed number of casualties.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
A senior interior ministry official said the attackers could have targeted a large gathering of Shia Muslims attending a commemoration on the anniversary of a leader’s death at Musala-e-Mazari compound.
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai, former NSA Haneef Atmar, former Vice president Yunus Qanuni, Acting Foreign Minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, 2nd Deputy Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqiq, & other officials were at the ceremony which came under attack. pic.twitter.com/jMrq1aPQOo
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) March 7, 2019
Hundreds of people were attending the Kabul meeting to mark the 24th death anniversary of Abdul Ali Mazari, leader of the Hezb-e-Wahdat party.
Mazari was killed by the Taliban after he was taken prisoner by them in 1995.
The country’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and former president were both in attendance and unharmed, AFP reported.
The incident comes as US and Taliban negotiations continue to hold peace talks in Qatar aimed at ending the nearly 18-year conflict.
The last major attack in Kabul occurred in January when the Taliban-claimed responsibility for a car bomb that struck the heavily fortified Green Village foreign compound.
Heavy snowfall across large swathes of Afghanistan has led to a reduction in violence this winter, but warmer weather in the country’s south will likely spark an increase in bloodshed with the arrival of the spring fighting season.
Analysts have warned that the Taliban are likely to ramp up attacks in the coming months as they seek to maintain momentum on the battlefield and leverage at the negotiating table.
from Credence news https://ift.tt/2H2vmnH
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