Kabul: At least 63 people have been killed and 151 wounded in a powerful suicide blast in the Afghan capital on Saturday, officials said. Most of the casualties are civilians.
Most of the casualties are civilians.
Explosives laden in an ambulance was detonated between two checkpoints outside the old Ministry of Interior building close to Sedarat Square.
The explosion ripped through Kabul shortly before 1 pm on Saturday afternoon and shook building kilometers away. Extensive damage has been caused to the buildings in the blast area.
Healthy ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismayeel Kawosi confirmed the casualty figures and said the wounded have been taken to different hospitals across the city.
Kabul’s key Emergency Hospital said it was filled to capacity and could not take in any more wounded.
This bombing is the latest in a string of deadly attacks across Afghanistan in the past week, including the 17-hour siege last Saturday on the Intercontinental Hotel and the attack on the Save The Children organization in Jalalabad.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s bombing.