KABUL: A suicide bomber blew himself up Tuesday evening inside a wedding hall in Kabul, where religious scholars had gathered to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, killing more than 50 people and injuring 83, government officials said.
Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for the Kabul Police said a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the ‘Uranus wedding hall’ in the vicinity of Police District 15 north of Kabul City after 6pm.
Over 50 martyrs and more than 83 wounded people have been evacuated from the blast scene, said Public Health Ministry Spokesperson Wahidullah Majroh.
The bombing targeted hundreds of Islamic scholars and people who gathered in the hall to celebrate Milad-ul-Nabi with recitations of Quran and sermons.
Tuesday coincides with Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and is declared as public holiday in Afghanistan with thousands of gatherings worldwide to mark the auspicious occasion.
The organizers, according to Mujahid, had not been apprised authorities about the gathering, which could have been protected by the police.