8 killed in blast outside Russian embassy in Kabul

KABUL (Agencies): At least eight people have been killed after a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the entrance of the Russian embassy in Kabul, security sources have told Al Jazeera.
The dead include two employees of the embassy, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday, according to a report by the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency. “As a result of the attack, two employees of the diplomatic mission were killed, and there are also victims among Afghan citizens,” the ministry said. It did not offer any details as to who the staff members were or how they died.
Earlier, RIA Novosti, citing anonymous sources, said 15-20 people were killed or wounded due to the explosion which occurred when a Russian diplomat came out to people waiting outside to call out the names of the candidates for a visa. “It (blast) actually happened close to the embassy where there was a crowd of people gathered to apply for the Russian visa,” Kabul-based journalist Najib Lalzoy told Al Jazeera.
Locals said a large number of people were present at the spot when the bomb exploded at around 10.50 am (0620 GMT) on Monday morning. “The eyewitnesses close to the Russian embassy say the casualties could be very high. Some of them say that even Russian diplomats are among the dead. But it is yet to be confirmed here in Kabul,” Lalzoy told Al Jazeera. Police said the attacker was shot dead by armed guards as he approached the embassy gate in Darul Aman area in the southwest of the Afghan capital. “The suicide attacker, before reaching the target, was recognised and shot by Russian embassy (Taliban) guards,” Mawlawi Sabir, the head of the police district where the attack took place, told the Reuters news agency.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion, the latest to strike the country days after it marked a year of Taliban seizing power. The Taliban government did not immediately confirm the explosion or give any casualty figures. Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over the country more than a year ago. Although Moscow does not officially recognise the Taliban’s government, they have been in talks with officials over an agreement supply gasoline and other commodities. In recent weeks, the ISIL (ISIS) group has targeted civilians as well as religious seminaries and mosques in Kabul and other parts of the country.
Journalist Lalzoy said the “unexpected” suicide attack targeted the civilians. “It is very unexpected because the security officials of Kabul believe the security around Kabul is very tight. And these kind of places like embassies are well-protected,” he told Al Jazeera. “Secondly, the explosion happened where the Afghans were gathered. It seems the target was to just kill innocent people.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan has strongly condemned the dastardly suicide attack outside the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Kabul on Monday that has resulted in the loss of precious lives of Russian diplomats and Afghan nationals, as well as many others injured.
“An attack on a Diplomatic Mission is a cause for serious concern and is denounced in the strongest possible terms. The Government and the people of Pakistan extend deepest sympathies to the Government of the Russian Federation,” a Foreign Office statement issued here said. “We also offer condolences to all the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones and pray for the early recovery of the injured,” it added. “Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reiterates its resolve to eliminate this menace. The scourge of terrorism is a common threat which requires concerted efforts in order to address it effectively,” the statement concluded.