By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
October 23, 2024
At least two people were killed and several wounded on October 23 in Kabul in a blast near a government office where ID cards are issued, a Taliban source told RFE/RL.
The source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, said the blast occurred when a man holding a plastic bag wanted to go to the ID office and the bag exploded. The man, who was injured, has been detained, said the source.
“Two people were martyred, and several others were injured,” the source said. “It appears that someone was carrying explosive materials with him and it exploded against him.”
A video that was posted on the X account of Afghanistan International showed that the explosion took place near street vendors in the area where the ID office is located.
A statement issued by Kabul’s Emergency Surgical Center said 11 people were injured in the explosion, but did not mention any fatalities. The emergency hospital has not returned a call from RFE/RL to request more information, including whether there were any deaths.
The statement said the explosion occurred at around 2 p.m. local time in the Pamir Cinema district.
Stefano Gennaro Smirnov, deputy director at the Emergency Surgical Center said the injured included a 3-year-old girl, a 4-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old boy. One of the injured is in critical condition, Smirnov said in a statement.
He said the explosion occurred at a secondhand clothing market as customers crowded to enter when it opened.
“This is the Pamir Cinema neighborhood, one of the most densely populated in Kabul. Many of those affected by this attack will be living in conditions of severe poverty,” he said in the statement.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the incident. But the Khorasan branch of Islamic State (IS-K) claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Kabul and elsewhere since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.