At least seven people were killed and 327 others wounded in an ongoing Taliban attack in central Kabul on Tuesday, the Afghan health ministry said.
“Many of those wounded are in serious condition,” ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi told AFP.
The attack that apparently targeted the offices of Afghanistan`s main security agency was followed by a heavy firefight.
“(We) condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Puli Mahmood Khan neighbourhood of Kabul, as a result of which many of our countrymen were martyred and wounded,” Ghani said in a statement without specifying the number.
“Such cowardly terrorist attacks will not weaken the will and determination of Afghan security forces to fight against terrorism,” Ghani said.
He tweeted;
Today’s terrorist attack near Pul-e-Mahmud Khan, #Kabul clearly shows the enemy’s defeat in face-to-face battle with ANSDF.
— ارگ (@ARG_AFG) April 19, 2016
‘We will never make peace with regional and international terrorists.’-Pres.@AshrafGhani
— ارگ (@ARG_AFG) April 18, 2016
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed their fighters had managed to enter the offices of the National Directorate of Security, the main spy agency.
The blast during the morning traffic hour was easily the biggest in Kabul since a truck bombing wounded 240 people last August, and was the first in the capital since the Taliban declared the start of their spring offensive last week.
Reactions:
Kabul bleeds again 🙁 #Kabulattack
— Habib Khan Totakhil (@HabibKhanT) April 19, 2016
#Pakistan‘s Embassy is kindly requested to go and collect the bodies of their beloved #terrorists involved in #KabulAttack.
— Jalalatmàab (@MilliGhorzang) April 19, 2016
The magnitude of #KabulAttack once again confirms that #Pakistan‘s patronage for the #Haqqaninetwork remains undeterred despite the #QCG.
— Jalalatmàab (@MilliGhorzang) April 19, 2016
Very huge #Explosion in #Kabul the sound was heard miles away in central #Kabul
— S.J.Shajjan جلال شجن (@jsaeedsh) April 19, 2016
