KABUL/ISLAMABAD: The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing near the Russian embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday that killed two staff from the diplomatic mission and four others.
In the first attack targeting a foreign mission since the Taliban seized power in August last year, the bomber struck near the entrance of the embassy´s consular section.
An IS fighter “blew up his suicide vest in a gathering attended by Russian employees” near the embassy, the IS group said in a statement via Telegram channels. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking to journalists in Moscow, slammed the attack as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Afghanistan´s foreign ministry confirmed the deaths of two embassy staff. Four Afghans waiting for consular services were also killed and several more wounded, Kabul police said. As with other recent attacks, heavy Taliban security quickly sealed off the area and prevented media from filming nearby.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said immediate steps were taken to boost security at the embassy, located on one of Kabul´s main roads and leading to the parliament building.
The attack is sure to embarrass the Taliban leadership, which for months has encouraged foreign nations to reopen their Kabul missions, insisting security was guaranteed. The Afghan foreign ministry said an investigation had been launched and authorities “will not allow the enemies to sabotage relations between both countries with such negative actions”.
Afghan security analyst Hekmatullah Hekmat said the attack showed the government´s “weakness” in gathering intelligence. “If they can´t prevent such attacks in the heart of Kabul, then they can´t provide security in the countryside,” he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly” condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the victims and their families in a statement.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan also condemned the bombing. “UNAMA stresses the need for the de facto authorities to take steps to ensure the safety and security of the people as well as diplomatic missions,” it tweeted.
Meanwhile, Pakistan 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.
Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said, “An attack on a Diplomatic Mission is a cause for serious concern and is denounced in the strongest possible terms.
It says, “The government and the people of Pakistan extend deepest sympathies to the government of the Russian Federation. We also offer condolences to all the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones and pray for the early recovery of the injured.”
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, it added.
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