15 die in explosions near protest victim’s funeral
KABUL: At least 15 people were killed and wounded as explosions rocked the funeral of a politician’s son who died during an anti-government protest over spiralling insecurity here, raising tensions in a city already on edge.
Witnesses reported three explosions at the burial site of Salim Ezadyar, who was among four people killed on Friday when the protest degenerated into street clashes, with police firing live rounds to disperse hundreds of demonstrators.
The hilly site was littered with corpses and dismembered limbs, local television footage showed, with one witness saying “people were blown to pieces” due to the impact of the blasts.
“We don’t know what caused the explosions. Initial reports show 15 people have been killed,” Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said on Twitter.
The funeral was attended by senior government officials including, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, but his office said he was unhurt.
The city was on lockdown yesterday, with armed checkpoints and armoured vehicles patrolling the streets to prevent a repeat of Friday’s protests.
Hundreds of demonstrators calling for President Ashraf Ghani to step down clashed with police on Friday, prompting officials to beat them with live rounds in the air, tear gas and water cannon.
The protesters were voicing anger over a truck bombing on Wednesday in Kabul’s diplomatic quarter that killed 90 people and wounded hundreds, the deadliest attack in the city since 2001.
Before the blasts at the funeral, authorities had sealed off roads in the centre of the city, citing the threat of new attacks on large gatherings of people.
“We have intelligence reports that our enemies are trying again to carry out attacks on gatherings and demonstrations,” Kabul garrison commander Gul Nabi Ahmadzai said yesterday. “We hope people will stay away from protests.” AFP