By Islamuddin Sajid
KABUL (AA): A heavy explosion rocked a diplomatic area of Afghanistan’s Kabul city at early Wednesday morning, leaving at least 20 people dead, said a health ministry official. Local media claim between 20 to 100 people have been killed.
Baz Mohammad, the ministry official, confirmed over 300 others were injured. The death toll was expected to rise. Japanese embassy staff are reported among the injured.
The incident took place in the vicinity of Zanbaq Square in Kabul’s 10th district, a diplomatic enclave close to German, Japanese and Turkish embassies and a gate to the Afghan presidential palace. .
The area is sidered the capital’s safest area, with foreign embassies protected by dozens of 10-foot-high blast walls and government offices, guarded by police and national security forces.
Najib Danish, deputy spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, said the blast was so heavy that more than 30 vehicles were either destroyed or damaged. “We don’t know at this moment what was the target of the attack, but most of the casualties are civilians,” said Danish. Windows were shattered in shops, restaurants and other buildings up to a kilometer from the blast site.
No one has claimed responsiblity as yet.
[Archive photo: Site of explosion near US Embassy in Kabul on 15 August 2016. Photographer: Haroon Sabawoon/AA]
