20 killed in blast outside Afghan foreign ministry in Kabul

Kabul: An explosion outside the foreign ministry in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Wednesday caused nearly 20 casualties, police said. A photo of the area, confirmed by official sources, showed at least nine people wounded or killed, lying outside the ministry as security forces attended to them.

The Taliban claim to have improved security since storming back to power in August 2021 but there have been scores of bomb blasts and attacks, many claimed by the local chapter of the Islamic State (IS) group.

The blast hit around 4 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), Kabul’s police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said. He did not provide details on the number of casualties, saying officials were investigating.

The Taliban-run administration has faced an insurgency by Islamic State militants who have targeted foreigners at certain sites, including the Russian and Pakistani embassies and a hotel catering to Chinese businessmen.

The blast took place at a busy time of day in a heavily fortified area surrounded by checkpoints on a street housing several ministries.

A person in a nearby office described hearing a loud explosion and said they were evacuated from their building. Some countries, including Turkey and China, also have embassies in the area.

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