Blast near Afghanistan foreign ministry kills at least two: NGO

By William On Mar 27, 2023

BREAK,

At least two dead and 12 injured in explosion in central Kabul, according to a hospital run by an Italian NGO.

At least two people have been killed and 12 injured in an explosion near the Afghan foreign ministry, according to a hospital run by an Italian NGO in the capital, Kabul.

“We have received some patients,” said Stefano Sozza of the Italian NGO Emergency on Monday.

The charity runs a surgical center specializing in treating victims of the protracted war in central Kabul.

A tweet from the NGO said at least one child was among those injured.

Sozza said the incident took place near the State Department.

Two witnesses told Reuters news agency they heard the sound of a large explosion near the heavily fortified area where several government buildings and foreign embassies stand.

Spokesmen for the police, the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.

Kabul and other urban areas have been hit by several attacks in recent months, some of which have been claimed by the group ISIL (ISIS).

An explosion in January killed at least five people and injured dozens at the State Department as employees poured out of the building at the end of the work day.

The Taliban government has said it is focusing on securing the country and has carried out several raids against suspected ISIL members in recent weeks.

Monday’s incident occurred around lunchtime, when the city is particularly busy as government office staff head out early during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.