Some 41 people have been killed and 84 injured in a double blast in the Afghan capital of Kabul: one took place near the Sada-i-Afghan (Afghan Voice) news agency and the other reportedly hit a cultural center, according to local TOLO News TV citing the Health Ministry spokesperson Vahid Majroha.
The explosive devices were apparently detonated by suicide attackers, 1TV channel reported, citing the Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman. Many journalists are reported among the casualties, with their exact number yet to be specified.
The Daesh terror group (banned in Russia) has claimed responsibility for the attack, the AFP news agency reported, citing the group's media outlet.
The 1TV channel reported, citing Deputy Press Secretary of the Interior Ministry Nusrat Rahimi, the first explosive device was activated by a suicide bomber. Later, two magnetic mines, set up on the walls of a cultural center, exploded. As Rahimi has explained, all the victims were the result of the suicide bomb attack.
According to preliminary data, an office of the Afghan Voice news agency is believed to be the target of the attack.
Barchi road is blocked due to an explosion in west Kabul that has killed 30 and wounded more than 40 people in a cultural center. pic.twitter.com/WX7CiqddXK
— Muhib Shadan (@muhibshadan) 28 декабря 2017 г.
Reuters cited witnesses as saying that the death toll might further rise as there were heavy casualties among students attending a panel discussion with researchers there.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the deadly explosion and ordered the launching of an investigation into the attack, vowing to provide all necessary assistance to bereaved families, TOLOnews reported.
The broadcaster added that the presidential administration said that the authorities reiterated its commitment to fight against terrorists and to eliminate them.
Afghanistan has long been suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to the simmering militant insurgency, including that of the Taliban and Daesh terrorist groups.
The attacks took place a day after the US Marine Forces reported the death of a suspected Taliban leader Qari Fida Mohammad, which, however, was claimed to have taken place much earlier.
READ MORE: US Claims F-16s Killed Top Taliban Leader
Meanwhile the Afghani government is taking steps to endure peace settlement in the country, preparing a roadmap for the peace talks with the Taliban. This position was voiced by the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai during the meeting of the International Contact Group for Afghanistan in Oslo earlier in December.
READ MORE: Afghanistan to Unveil Program of Peace Talks With Taliban Soon — Beijing
