Following attack near embassy, Russia halts visas for Afghans

KABUL (TOLOnews): Following a suicide bombing attack in the vicinity of the Russian embassy in PD7 of Kabul, the embassy announced on Twitter that it has stopped issuing visas for applicants.
“Dear Applicants! The reception of citizens in the Consular Department is temporarily suspended. Further information will be announced about the resumption of the reception,” the Russian Embassy in Kabul said on Twitter. “Dear applicants! The Consular Section is temporarily closed. The resumption of admission will be announced later.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said that acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Muttaqi assured him a thorough probe of the attack near the Russian Embassy would take place and attention would be focused on the embassy’s security.
According to MoFA, during the call Lavrov called the blast an action by an international criminal organization, and he urged that efforts be made to fight it.
“(Muttaqi) assured him (Lavrov) of an extensive investigation. Muttaqi said that the two sides should not allow for such negative actions to have a negative impact on the relations of the two countries,” said Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesman for MoFA.
The attack faced strong international reactions.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack near the Russian embassy in Kabul, saying “attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including diplomatic missions, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.”
“An unknown fighter detonated an explosive device, in close proximity to the entrance to a consular department of our embassy. Two our comrades died, and immediately a number of measures have been taken on the security of the external perimeter, additional forces of Taliban forces have been involved, the capabilities of intelligence and counterintelligence services have been involved,” Lavrov said. “We hope that the organizers of this terrorist act, the perpetrators, will be punished as soon as possible.”
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry in a statement condemned the attack and said that “an attack on a Diplomatic Mission is a cause for serious concern and is denounced in the strongest possible terms.”
Russia is one of the countries that kept its embassy open after the Islamic Emirate swept into power. Moscow also accepted the envoy of the Islamic Emirate to the country.
“After this attack, it appears that the trust feelings that were created between Russia and the Taliban have been eliminated,” said Ajmal Zadran, an international relations analyst.
“It obviously seemed to be due to the cold war of powers,” said Ahmad Khan, a political analyst.
A suicide attack bomber blew himself up in front of the Russian embassy on Monday.
Kabul security department spokesman Khalid Zadran said in a statement that a suicide bomber was intending to explode himself among the people who were gathered in front of the Russian embassy, but he was identified by security and targeted, which caused a blast.
Zadran said that four civilians and two workers of the Russian embassy were killed and several other Afghans were wounded in the blast.
The Russian foreign ministry reported that two Russian embassy workers in Kabul were among many others killed in the blast in Darul Aman. The death toll reached 25, with many more injured, according to the news network Al Jazeera.