Over 41 killed in Kabul suicide attack: local media

KABUL (NNI): At least 41 people including a journalist, were killed and several others wounded in a suicide attack on Tebyan cultural center in Pule Sokhtia, Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday morning, Afghan officials confirmed.

Spokesman for Ministry of Public Health, Wahid Majroh, at a press conference, said 41 people including 35 men, four women and two children were killed in the attack. He added that 84 people including 76 men and eight women were wounded in the suicide bombing.

At the same event, Najibullah Danish, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said the ministry has assigned a team to probe the deadly incident.

According to one survivor, social activists had gathered at the Tebyan social and cultural activity center for a meeting when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives.

The center also houses AVA news agency which is part of the Iranian-funded organization.

Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Minister of Interior said the explosion took place at 10:30am . He said 41 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 89 others wounded in the attack. .

Public health officials said five of the injured were in critical condition. The attack took place at about 10.30am when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance to the socio-cultural entity.

Ministry of Interior spokesman Najib Danish said preliminary reports indicated the explosion in the 6th police district was triggered by a suicide bomber.

Mujib Khilwatgar, CEO of the Nai, a media advocacy group, said the Afghan Voice news agency was the target of the attack that caused many casualties. However, he did not give specific figures.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State militant group — also known as Daesh — claimed responsibility for the latest attack in the nation’s capital. The assault happened near an office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied the group’s involvement in the attack on the pro-Iran cultural centre, where many people had gathered to mark the Soviet invasion of the country.

The United Nations, United States of America and NATO on Thursday strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Kabul that targeted a news agency and a cultural center in Kabul, killing more than 40 people, including women and children.