A car bomb exploded in the Afghan capital of Kabul killing at least 24 people and injuring dozens more, according to local intelligence officials speaking to Al Jazeera. The suicide attack, which took place at 7am local time (2:30am GMT) was reportedly targeting a bus which was transporting government officials.
The Taliban contacted Al Jazeera to claim responsibility for the attack, according to the Qatari news outlet.
#KABUL - More than 20 people were killed in explosion in Gulaee Dawa Khana area in PD3, deputy CEO Mohammad Mohaqoq's office confirmed. pic.twitter.com/hRPlOHsibm
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) July 24, 2017
The above video reportedly shows the aftermath of today’s attack, but cannot be verified.
The bomb was detonated in the Western neighborhood of the city home to many of the Shiite Hazara population, a persecuted minority who have been the victim of numerous Taliban attacks. In 2001, the radical militant group killed over 170 Hazaras in a massacre lasting four days. More recently, 84 people were killed on 23 July last year, many of them Hazaras, in the first major attack in Afghanistan claimed by IS.
Afghanistan has been rocked by an increase in civilian deaths this year, with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reporting that nearly half of the country’s provinces have seen larger numbers of casualties due to attacks by anti-Government groups.
