7 civilians dead as blasts hit buses in Kabul

Afghan security force members inspect the site of an explosion in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 12, 2021. (Photo by Sayed Mominzadah/Xinhua/IANS)


Kabul, June 13 (IANS) Seven civilians were killed and six others injured in two explosions targeting public mini-buses along a busy road in Kabul, police in the Afghan capital confirmed.

The explosions occurred in Sari Pul and Mahtab Qala localities in Dashti Barchi, in Police District 13 and Police District 6 on Saturday, causing panic among the residents in the neighbourhood, which has witnessed serial explosions in recent weeks, Xinhua news agency reported.

One of the targeted buses caught fire and was destroyed while several other vehicles along the road were also damaged by the force of the blasts.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

This was the second such explosion that hit Kabul this month.

On June 3, nine civilians were killed and 10 others injured after two public mini-buses were struck by explosions in the western part of Kabul.

The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 2,950 civilians were killed and over 5,540 others wounded due to fighting in the country last year, according to the country’s independent human rights commission.

The agency has attributed 53 per cent of civilian casualties to the Taliban and 15 per cent to pro-government security forces over the period, while 25 per cent were caused by unknown perpetrators and the rest 7 per cent were blamed on other reasons.

Out of total casualties, 330 women and 565 children were killed in separate attacks last year, according to figures of the independent human rights commission.