At least two civilians were killed and three security personnel injured after three explosions ripped through a gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday, according to multiple sources.

The bombings were confirmed by the Ministry of Interior, which stated that a gang of armed rebels invaded the gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan district.

“Before entering, the adversary attacked the guards with a grenade, causing a fire, and two of our Hindu countrymen were evacuated and transported to hospital for treatment,” the Ministry stated in a statement.

According to the statement, the rebels also exploded a car bomb before it reached its intended target.

“Fortunately, they were unable to reach their intended target and instead exploded a car bomb before they arrived.”

Meanwhile, according to the Xinhua news agency, a witness said: “At around 6 a.m., we heard a massive explosion that hit the temple’s gate. Two further explosions erupted inside the temple after the first.”

Security officers have roped off the area as a precaution, and multiple warning shots have been fired, according to him.

The two people were killed in the initial bomb, according to a security source.

Smoke billowed from the two-story gurdwara, which is surrounded by blast barriers, according to videos posted on social media.

Media and the general public have been barred from entering the compound, and no one knows what is going on inside.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs indicated earlier in the day that it was closely monitoring the situation.

“We are gravely concerned about news coming out of Kabul concerning an attack on a precious gurdwara in that city,” Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.

“We’re keeping a careful eye on the situation and waiting for more information on the latest developments.”

A gurdwara in downtown Kabul was struck in March 2020, killing two dozen worshippers.

In recent months, the war-torn country has been hit by a series of terror attacks reportedly staged by the Islamic State (IS) terror group opposing the Taliban-led government.

On Friday, one person was killed and seven others were wounded after a blast hit a mosque in the northern province of Kunduz.
(with inputs from IANS)