Afghanistan: 2 killed, 18 Injured As Blast Hits Kabul Mosque Near Interior Ministry, Says Report

Kabul Mosque Blast: At least two people were killed and 18 injured in a blast occurred near the Ministry of Interior (MoI) in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday.

A Taliban fighter stands guard near the site of a blast in Kabul (Source: File photo/AFP)

A blast occurred near the heavily guarded interior ministry (MoI) compound in Kabul on Wednesday, according to the ministry's spokesman. At least two people were killed and 18 were injured in the blast, reported news agency Reuters. 

Reuters reported that an Italian NGO aid group Emergency, which runs a hospital in Kabul, said on Twitter it received 20 patients from the blast, two of whom were dead on arrival.

Earlier, the official Twitter handle of ANI posted, "A blast occurred at a mosque near the Ministry of Interior (MoI), said Abdul Nafai Takor, a spokesman for the MoI, adding that an investigation is underway: Tolo news."

Kabul, Afghanistan | A blast occurred at a mosque near the Ministry of Interior (MoI), said Abdul Nafai Takor, a spokesman for the MoI, adding that an investigation is underway: Tolo news

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2022

The incident has been confirmed by the Taliban, reported PTI. 

The Taliban say a blast went off in a government ministry mosque in Kabul as officials and visitors were praying, reports AP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 5, 2022

The interior ministry spokesman stated that visitors and staff members occasionally used the mosque, reported news agency Reuters. 

The interior ministry compound is in a secure area next to Kabul international airport.

The government did not immediately say what caused the explosion in Kabul, where militants have carried out a number of attacks in recent months, Reuters reported. This comes just days after a suicide bomber killed 53 people, including 46 women, in a Kabul classroom. The deadly explosion injured over 100 people.

(With Input From Agencies)