An Afghan official investigates the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan July 24, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
A suicide attacker triggered a car bomb in western Kabul, Afghanistan, in the early hours of Monday, killing at least 35 people and injuring several others reported news agency Reuters. The bomb hit a bus ferrying employees of the ministry of mines. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Taking to Twitter, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said 37 “intelligence workers” were killed. Several prominent political leaders, including Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq, live in the area which was targeted. The area has been cordoned off by the local police.
“The car bomb hit a bus carrying employees of the ministry of mines during rush hour,” interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish was quoted as saying by AFP.
An eyewitness, Ali Ahmed, said: “I was in my shop when suddenly I heard a terrible sound and as a result all of my shop windows shattered.”
The region has witnessed a spate of attacks, including a suicide attack last month which killed prominent Shiite Muslim cleric Ramazan Hussainzada. He was also a senior leader of the Hazara community. In the first half of this year, as many as 1,662 civilians have been killed in the violence in the country. The attack comes two months after the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a truck bomb attack, which killed 150 people.
