Afghanistan Times
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By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: At least 95 people were killed and 158 more wounded Saturday after a car bomber detonated his vehicle near the old building of Ministry of Interior in Kabul city.
The attacker used an ambulance to target a heavily-guarded area, where the old building for the ministry of interior, the office of the high peace council, office of the European Union delegation and some embassies are located. The incident’s victims are mostly civilians.
Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid said that the blast was a result of a suicide car bombing carried out outside the old Interior Ministry Building at around 12:45.”
He said that the bomber with a car full of explosives tried to enter to the old building of ministry of interior, where still some departments of the ministry are active there.
Mujahid added that before arriving in his target, the bomber was identified by police and stopped him at entrance outpost of the compound, but the attacker detonated his car.
The big explosion left many casualties but right now we can’t give further details, he added.
Ministry of interior’s deputy spokesman, Nasrat Rahimi said that the attacker used an ambulance and struggled to pass the checkpoint and enter the street.
He said that the ambulance was in the parking of the hospital and moved from there toward the outpost.
Spokesman for Ministry of Public Health Wahidullah Majroh said that 95 people were killed and 158 others wounded in today’s attack, fearing that the death toll could rise as the health condition of some injured were critical.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying police officers were their target.
The explosion was too heavy and nearby buildings and offices’ windows were shattered in the area and caused injuries of people.
Kabul police headquarters is also located in the area just some 100 meters from the blast scene.
Patients in Jamhuriat hospital were not safe either after the blast. A number of them were wounded when the windows of the hospital were broken.
In a statement, President Ashraf Ghani said that the terrorists once again carried out an unforgivable attack near Jamhoriat hospital and martyred a number of innocent people.
The statement said that President Ghani said that Afghanistan’s enemies must know that in current imposed war they are loser.
He said that our Security and Defense forces’ reality combat against terrorist groups without differences earned people and international l community support than every time.
President once again insisted that Afghanistan is faced to impose war since many years and the terrorist groups, which their support and facilitator place is clear fighting for strangers’ goal to prevent stability and prosperity of Afghanistan, but they never reach to this aim.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Unity Government Abdullah Abdullah in his twitter said that we condemned the terrorist attack on civilians and hospital in Kabul. It is insane, inhuman, heinous and a war crime. We will bring its perpetrators to justice and take necessary measures to avoid such barbarism in the future.
He said that International Community must take further action against state sponsored terrorism.
We share the sorrows and losses of our people. Our priority and focus right now is to help those in need and provide the best treatment for those wounded. This is the moment when we all need to stand together and punch our enemy hard. This is enough
Most of the Afghan people through social media called such attack a massacre, where terrorists targeted populated civilian road next to a hospital where over 250 innocent people were killed and injured.
U.S. Ambassador John R. Bass in a statement said that I condemn today’s senseless and cowardly bombing in Kabul and those who perpetrated it. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. My government and I stand with the brave people of Afghanistan. Their work to create a peaceful, prosperous future for all the citizens of this country is the best response to terrorists and others who know only violence.
The NATO-led Resolute Support mission said that the perpetrators of the attack “care nothing for the Afghan people”. It said that the Afghan government and security forces work to defend Afghans and respond to the attacks with “bravery and professionalism”.
