Afghanistan: Six Dead, Several Injured In Suicide Blast Near Foreign Ministry In Kabul

Afghanistan Blast: Afghan forces stationed near the Foreign Ministry targetted the attacker but he detonated the explosives, killing six people.

At least six people were dead and several others injured in a suicide attack on Monday near Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry in Kabul, AFP quoted the Interior Ministry as saying.

The blast occurred in front of a business centre near the Foreign Ministry. The heavily fortified area is home to several government buildings and foreign embassies.

Afghan forces stationed near the Foreign Ministry targetted the attacker but he detonated the explosives and "killed six civilians and wounded a number of others", ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted.

Afghanistan-based Tolo News also tweeted, "A blast happened on Foreign Ministry's road near the Daudzai Trade Center in downtown Kabul this afternoon, eyewitnesses said, describing it as a heavy explosion." 

The blast took place around lunchtime, when the city is especially crowded.

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Italian non-governmental organisation Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, confirmed it had received two dead and 12 wounded, including a child, Al Jazeera reported.

However, Taliban officials have not commented on the incident yet and no outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

The blast comes as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began on Thursday in Afghanistan. This is the second attack near the Foreign Ministry in Kabul in less than three months.

Earlier in January, a blast took place in front of the Foreign Ministry in Kabul in which five civilians were killed, while several others were injured. Ever since Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, regional affiliate of the Islamic State, IS-K, has increased its attacks in the country.

Several blasts have been reported in Afghanistan since the start of 2023. A number of explosions were reported in the capital city this month, including one near Kabul military airport. Moreover, a Chinese-owned hotel was also targeted in the heart of Kabul.

The Taliban administration has said it was focused on securing the country and has carried out several raids against suspected ISIL members in recent weeks.