New Delhi: A bomb explosion jolted Afghanistan’s Kabul on Saturday leaving 22 persons injured, hospital officials and witnesses said, reported news agency Reuters. As per the report, the explosion took place in western district of the city where members of the minority Shi’ite Muslim community regularly meet.
Video footage posted online showed ambulances rushing to the scene, which is also near bus stations.
The report quoted a Taliban spokesperson as saying that an investigation team was at the blast site to help the wounded and assess casualties.
No responsibility has been claimed for the blast which came days ahead of Ashura, a commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, which is marked mainly by Shi’ite Muslims.
This is the second when bomb exposion took place in the city as on Friday at least 8 people were dead and 18 injured after a blast was carried out by the Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim militant group.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has condemned Friday’s attack in a majority-Shia area of Kabul causing dozens of casualties. “UNAMA condemns yesterday’s attack in a majority-Shia area of Kabul causing dozens of casualties. De facto authorities must prevent such indiscriminate attacks, launch thorough and transparent investigations. Our condolences to families of the killed & speedy recovery for the injured,” the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted.
Sunni Muslim Taliban authorities, who took over Afghanistan in August last year after a two-decade insurgency, have said they would provide more protection for Shi’ite mosques and other facilities, the Reuters report stated.