At Least 7 Dead, 20 Injured As Minibus Explodes In Afghanistan's Capital Kabul

At least seven civilians died and 20 others were wounded due to an explosion in a predominantly Shiite Muslim area of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul.

An explosion in a predominantly Shiite Muslim area of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, left at least seven civilians dead and 20 others wounded, according to authorities cited by news agency AP. The incident occurred on Tuesday in the Dashti Barchi area of the city's western part. While the cause of the explosion remains unknown, local police have initiated an investigation, as confirmed by Khalid Zadran, a police spokesperson, AP reported.

No individual or group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) have previously targeted Shiite schools, hospitals, and mosques in the same vicinity.

The region has witnessed an uptick in violence by IS and other militant groups since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.

Earlier in October, a bomb blast rocked a minority Shiite mosque in the northern Afghan city of Pol-i-Khomri, the capital of Baghlan province, resulting in a significant number of casualties, news agency AFP reported. While the exact nature of the incident was not immediately clear, the Taliban administration confirmed the attack.

Witnesses reported that the explosion occurred during Friday prayers at the city's Imam Zaman mosque, causing significant harm. Abdul Hamid, speaking to AFP, stated, "There was a terrible sound. After the explosion, a large number of martyrs and injured people were transferred to the hospital. The situation is not good at all." Another local resident, Saeed Daud, recounted, "When I was at home, I heard a huge explosion. Now the sirens of ambulances are being heard, and the injured are being taken to the hospital."

Despite the improvement in security since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, the regional chapter of the Islamic State organisation remains a persistent threat and has previously targeted Shiites, whom they consider heretics. Following the Taliban's return to power, IS has launched attacks on diplomatic missions, government buildings in Kabul, and the assassinations of two provincial governors, as per AFP's report.

The United Nations has attributed the September 2022 bombing of a study hall in a minority Shiite neighborhood of Kabul to IS, an attack that claimed the lives of at least 53 individuals, including 46 girls and young women, the report stated.

The UN's assessment, issued in May, highlighted IS's objective to "provoke sectarian conflict and destabilise the region" and noted that the group has carried out over 190 suicide attacks since 2022, resulting in the injury or death of more than 1,300 people.