BackIndia deplores Kabul attack as death toll mounts to 80
A powerful blast on Wednesday rocked Kabul's high-security diplomatic area where the Indian embassy is located, killing 80 people and wounding 320
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Kabul: A powerful bomb hidden in a sewage tanker exploded in Kabul’s high-security diplomatic area where the Indian embassy is located, killing 80 people, wounding 320 and damaging embassy buildings.
The explosion happened at about 8:25 am in the Wazir Akbar Khan area, a busy neighbourhood that’s home to many foreign embassies and the presidential palace, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said by phone. Women and children were among the dead and wounded, he said.
Reports said the massive blast smashed windows of the buildings nearby and a huge plume of smoke could be seen spiralling over the high-security area. Official sources at the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi said that all staff at the Indian embassy were safe.
In a statement, the ministry of external affairs said : “India strongly deplores the heinous and reprehensible terrorist attack in Kabul today. The continuing violence even during the holy and pious month of Ramazan reflects the diabolical nature of the perpetrators and its supporters.
“India is ready to render any assistance to the Government and the people of Afghanistan and all possible support to bring perpetrators of the attack to justice."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on a four nation foreign tour in a Twitter post condemned the Kabul attack. “We strongly condemn the terrorist blast in Kabul. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased & prayers with the injured," he said in a post.
“India stands with Afghanistan in fighting all types of terrorism. Forces supporting terrorism need to be defeated," Modi said in another post.
Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in a Twitter post confirmed that all Indian embassy staff were safe.
“By God’s grace, Indian Embassy staff are safe in the massive #Kabul blast," she said in her post.
The French, Turkish, German and Chinese embassies were among those damaged, the countries said, adding there were no immediate signs of injuries among their diplomats. The BBC said one of its drivers, an Afghan, was killed driving journalists to work. Four journalists were wounded and treated in hospital.
The NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission in Kabul said Afghan security forces had prevented the vehicle from entering the heavily protected Green Zone that houses many foreign embassies as well as its headquarters, suggesting it may not have reached its intended target.
While no group so far has claimed responsibility for the bombing, security has deteriorated in Afghanistan with the resurgent Taliban claiming more territory across the country and Islamic State militants stepping up attacks.
The Indian embassy in Kabul has been targeted by blasts several times in the past but the most deadly attack happened in July 2008 when two Indian diplomats, their Afghan driver and two Indian security guards were killed in a massive car bomb explosion. At least 60 others were also killed. The 2008 attack was blamed on the Haqqani network, a terrorist group based in Pakistan.
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