Multiple casualties came from an explosion in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban in Kabul, Afghanistan, as employees were leaving for the day.
Ahmadullah Muttaqi, an official from the Taliban's office of the first deputy prime minister, stated, "I am here at the Ministry" about Wednesday's explosion. "A suicide bomber tried to penetrate the Ministry but was spotted and detonated by security officers."
Suicide Attack in Kabul, Afghanistan
Per Fox News, the incident occurred at the main entrance of the ministry building in Kabul's diplomatic enclave at about 4 p.m. local time, with a Kabul police official saying that the timing "sadly resulted in injuries." Later, a report claimed that at least 20 people had perished due to the blast.
Images on social media depicted many persons lying on the ground in front of the building's door. However, security officers who arrived on the scene could not determine the number of casualties caused by the explosion.
It was reported that the explosion happened on Wednesday as the Taliban's foreign minister was meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan. However, ministry spokeswoman Qahar Balkhi informed CBS News that these stories were false.
The strike comes after the Taliban struck an agreement with China last week for a Chinese company to dig for oil in Afghanistan's Amu Darya basin, further indicating the Taliban's growing links with the Chinese Communist Party.
Since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, ISIS-K, or ISIS Khorasan has carried out some of the bloodiest assaults in the nation, frequently targeting Taliban security officers and sympathizers.
There was no official claim of responsibility for the incident on Wednesday, but ISIS-K has recently escalated its brutality across the nation, as per CBS News.
The terrorist organization recently struck a checkpoint at the military airport in Kabul, killing numerous people and a guesthouse frequented mostly by Chinese citizens. Before the incident, a suicide bomber from ISIS-K attacked Russian diplomats, killing 20 individuals, including two Russians.
Taliban Regime
Despite the bombings, Taliban commanders have consistently minimized the threat ISIS-K poses to the country's security. In a tweet, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan denounced the attack and expressed great worry about Afghanistan's "growing insecurity."
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, but the Islamic State offshoot in Khorasan Province has increased its attacks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Among the targets have been Taliban patrols and the country's Shiite minority. According to Dawn, IS terrorists have targeted foreigners at the Russian and Pakistani embassies and a hotel catering to Chinese businessmen as part of an insurgency against the Taliban-led government.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who lives near the ministry, described the explosion as a "terrorist act, a crime against humanity, and an attack on all human and Islamic principles."
In a statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) extended condolences to the bereaved families. It stated that violence could not be a part of any plan to bring Afghanistan sustainable peace.
Multiple explosions have been recorded in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2023. This month, many explosions were recorded in the capital city, including one at the military airport in Kabul, according to NDTV.
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