Islamic State suicide bomber attacks Kabul ministry, 13 dead

THE BLAST CAME AS PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI ANNOUNCED A CEASEFIRE WITH THE TALIBAN COINCIDING WITH EID, BUT EXCLUDING OTHER MILITANT GROUPS.

KABUL: A suicide bomber killed 13 people and wounded more 25 during rush hour on Monday at the entrance to Afghanistan’s rural rehabilitation and development ministry in Kabul as workers were leaving for home, government spokesmen said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility, its Amaq news agency said, without providing any evidence. The attack comes as security has deteriorated in the city during recent months ahead of elections scheduled for October.

“Woman, children and employees of the (rehabilitation) ministry are among the victims,” Najib Danish, spokesman for the interior ministry, told Reuters, referring to the dead and wounded.

Fraidoon Azhand, spokesman for the ministry that came under attack, said the suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the gate. “We don’t know whether all of the victims are employees of the ministry or other civilians as well,” he told Reuters.

“The ministry has a kindergarten where the employees bring their children. Casualties among those children is possible but for the moment we don’t know exactly,” he said.

Elsewhere, militants raided a government building in the eastern city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, prompting terrified employees to jump out of the windows, officials said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the education department, triggering a battle between gunmen and Afghan security forces, the provincial governor’s spokesman said.