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Kabul sees deadliest attack since 2001, IS claims responsibility

───   08:10 Sun, 24 Jul 2016

Kabul sees deadliest attack since 2001, IS claims responsibility | News Article

Kabul - At least 80 people were killed and more than 200 others wounded in a twin blast targeting a mass protest in the Afghan capital on Saturday, the deadliest attack Kabul has ever seen since 2001.


The attack prompted growing fear about security in the country since it also marked the first time the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has staged such carnage in Kabul.


According to an IS statement, two of its suicide bombers detonated their explosives among the demonstrators.
Reports said there was a third suicide bomber, but police officers shot him before he could cause any harm.
The Taliban denied any involvement in the attack.


The demonstrators, mainly from the Hazara ethnic minority, were protesting the route of a planned power line, which they say should not bypass the Hazara heartland of Bamiyan province.


The twin blast inflicted the highest toll compared with similar attacks Kabul has witnessed in the past 15 years, and TV footage showed a hellish scene of bodies strewing the street and blood-soaked survivors calling for help.
Rescue efforts were hampered by roadblocks that had been set up by the police for the purpose of crowd management.


Outside hospitals, there were long lines of local residents who offered to donate blood for the victims.


Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said he was deeply grieved by the tragedy, noting that the government "puts all efforts to provide security for the protestors, but terrorists entered the protests, and carried out explosions that martyred and wounded a number of citizens including members of security and defense forces."


He declared a day of national mourning and ordered the authorities to use all available resources to help the victims.
While the Afghan leader promised to uphold citizens’ right to protest, the government decided to ban all forms of public gathering for the next 10 days.


Many countries, including neighboring India, Pakistan, as well as leading NATO members, have sent condolences to Afghanistan over the incident.


UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the terrorist attack. "This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights," said a statement released by Ban’s spokesperson.


ANA

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