At least 6 people were killed, and 7 other people have suffered severe injuries after suicide bombers struck the Afghanistan capital Kabul on Tuesday night. The coordinated bomb and subsequent gunfight, reportedly launched by the Taliban, was intended to target the Afghan Defence Minister and several lawmakers in the country’s capital Tuesday.
According to the reports, a massive blast occurred in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul on Tuesday evening. The blast was reportedly a suicide attack carried out using a car bomb around 8 pm in downtown Kabul, close to the ‘Green Zone’ – one of the most secured regions in the city.
As per the Afghan media, the blast occurred at Ansari Square in Shahr-e Naw in northwest Kabul. The rescue operations are underway between PD4 and PD10 in the area that houses Afghanistan’s acting Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi and the country’s former vice president Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum.
Besides the residence of high profile individuals, several embassies, government buildings and the homes of top Afghan officials are also situated in the area.
Huge blast heard in PD 10 Kabul city.#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/oM8ZNThz5b
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) August 3, 2021
According to journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, three suicide bombers blew themselves up in Kabul resulting in damages to properties, cars. A gunfight also broke between the terrorists and the Afghan national forces. Many civilians are believed to be injured in the terror attack. Dostum was also not home during the attack.
As per ground reports there were apparently 3 suicide bombers which blew up in Kabul, Afghanistan. No clarity yet on cars or exact number of terrorists. Gunfight is underway. Many civilians believed to be injured. Dostum was also not home during the attack. https://t.co/aIgexuJwrK
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 3, 2021
It was reported that some gunmen were even seen entering the home of Afghan Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi. However, as per Kaul, the Afghan Defence Minister was not present at his residence during the attack.
Afghan Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi also posted a tweet following the attacks on Tuesday, “Do not worry, everything is fine!”
نگران نباشید همه چیز خوب است !
— General Bismillah Mohammadi (@Muham_madi1) August 3, 2021
The attacks came days after the Taliban had tried to take control of three major cities of Afghanistan – Kandahar, Herat and Lashkar Gah. The fighting between Afghan National Forces and the Taliban has escalated since last week, with the Taliban trying to capture three major cities in southern and western Afghanistan. It was reported that the Taliban had also made an attempt to capture Kandahar airport by launching rocket attacks.
Since the withdrawal of the US troops, the Taliban have made rapid gains in rural areas of Afghanistan. However, lately, the Taliban, backed by Pakistan Army, is also taking over important districts and urban centres, creating a ground for further escalations in a country that is already ravaged by decades of war.
According to estimates, the Taliban is controlling nearly 223 districts in Afghanistan, while the Afghan government has control over only 68 districts. As many as 116 districts are still contested, including Lashkar Gah.
Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has blamed the hasty decision of the United States to pull out its troops for the worsening violence in his country and urged lawmakers to back a national effort against the Taliban.
