Kabul – Bom Blast !!!

A suicide roadside bomb just happened today in Kabul, in front of Ministry of Interior, on 8 a.m., rush hour when the people go the offices.

The ministry is only about 50 m from my office, Pajhwok Afghan News. I didnt witness the incident by myself, as I was 15 minutes late. When I came to the office on foot, I was checked thoroughly 3 times by the policemen and then they took me to my office to assure me not going to the incident spot. When I arrived at the office, almost nobody at the newsroom. They couldnt come as the road was blocked. There was only 1 reporter from Pajhwok there and the officials refused anymore people to go for coverage (including photographer).

According to what I have heard from the witnesses, the bomber planted the bomb on the body, waiting on the roadside in front of the ministry’s gate. Then at 8:00 the bus which carried the staff of the ministry arrived in front of the gate, dropped the staff there. It was a question indeed why the ministry bus didnt go inside the ministry area, and instead drop the staff outside the gate. Then the bomber stood between the bus and jeep (minivan), and blasted himself. There was no fire at all, but many casualties. From the bus itself there were at least 5 casualties, including some ladies and a young child (later I found the child was killed in the incident). The child was going to school. The location of the blast was just on the opposite of Lycee Malalai, a renowned school in Kabul. The minivan was full of passengers also and there were for sure casualties. The total number of casualties up till now (9:00 a.m.) is not confirmed yet, but at least there are 14 people died.

The other one died

The road is then blocked and there was thorough check through everybody passing. Not far from the location, there are also Indian and Indonesian embassy.

Suicide bombings in recent months getting very frequent in Afghanistan, and this now included Kabul, which is considered among the safest cities in the country.