Suicide bomber in Afghanistan kills 6 in blast near foreign ministry

This is the second time this year that there has been an attack near the ministry

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the regional affiliate of Islamic State has increased attacks since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021

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A Taliban security personnel sits on a humvee armoured vehicle near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul on March 27, 2023. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:08pm, 27 Mar 2023

A suicide bomber struck on Monday near the foreign ministry in Kabul, killing at least six people and wounding several, according to officials. It was the second time this year that there has been an attack near the ministry.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group has increased attacks since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August 2021. IS has targeted Taliban officials and patrols, as well as members of the country’s minority Shiites.

According to Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul police chief, Taliban security forces spotted the bomber before he was able to reach a checkpoint at the Malik Asghar intersection, near the ministry.

The attacker then detonated his explosives, killing at least six civilians. Three members of the Taliban security forces were among those wounded in the attack.

An ambulance carries victims from near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group has increased attacks since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Photo: AFP

The attacker was identified by Afghan forces who shot at him in front of a business centre near the foreign ministry, interior ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted.