KABUL: The death toll from a suicide attack in Kabul’s PD9 has increased to more than 20 and 30 others were wounded in the explosion, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Friday, reported by Tolo news.
The suicide bomber detonated his explosives in Banaee area in Kabul’s PD9 where protestors and police force members had gathered at 8:30 pm on Thursday evening, the ministry said.
Police force members were also among those killed in the attack, eyewitnesses said. However, Ministry of Interior has not given an exact number in this respect.
Meanwhile, Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The deadly assault comes a week after more than 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a suicide blast claimed by the Islamic State group that targeted Shia in Kabul.
The capital has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians in recent months, as the Taliban step up their attacks and IS seeks to expand its presence in the country.
Last week’s assault came days after a suicide bomber killed six civilians in a Christmas Day attack near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in the city, which was also claimed by IS.
On December 18 militants from the group stormed an intelligence training compound in Kabul, triggering an intense gunfight with police, two of whom were wounded.
Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others — mostly civilians. No group has yet claimed that attack.