By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
January 11, 2023
An explosion has ripped through the Afghan capital near the entrance to the Foreign Ministry building, according to an official from the Taliban-led government and eyewitness accounts.
Casualty figures have not been announced, although a source said there were injuries or deaths.
A spokesman for the Taliban government’s security headquarters, Khaled Zadran, confirmed to RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi that the blast took place at around 4 p.m. local time but could not assess the extent of casualty figures or damages.
Zadran said that a security team was at the scene and an investigation was under way.
A diplomatic source within the Foreign Ministry who asked not to be identified told RFE/RL that the explosion occurred when the ministry’s employees were on leave.
But the same source said that the explosion was strong and there were casualties.
The source also said the blast happened while a meeting between Taliban representatives and Chinese officials was going on inside the ministry.
Zia Ahmad Takal, a ministry deputy spokesman, disputed that there was any such meeting at the time.
AFP quoted a staff member who said he saw a man blow himself up and suggested there were at least 20 casualties.
But that report could not immediately be confirmed.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion.
Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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