Twin Kabul suicide blasts kill at least 21, including journalists

KABUL — At least 21 people were killed, including Agence FrancePresse chief photographer Shah Marai and three other journalists, when two suicide blasts ripped through Kabul on Monday, the health ministry and AFP have confirmed.

Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh told Afghanistan’s largest private TV channel Tolo news that at least 27 people were wounded and rushed to hospital, warning that some were in critical condition and the toll could yet rise.

The second explosion came minutes after the first at targeted reporters at the scene, police spokesman Kabul Hashmat Stanikzai told AFP.

“The bomber disguised himself as a journalist and detonated himself among the crowd,” he said.

A security source also confirmed both were suicide blasts.

The first bomb was detonated by an assailant on a motorcycle and left at least four dead and five injured, according to the interior ministry.

Stanikzai confirmed that journalists had been killed, but said he did not know how many. AFP confirmed that, along with Marai, two journalists from 1TV and one from Tolo news were among the dead.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred shortly before 8 a. m. ( 0330 GMT) near the headquarters of the Afghan intelligence services, the interior ministry said.

It comes days after the Taliban kicked off their spring offensive in an apparent rejection of calls for the militants to take up the Afghan government’s offer of peace talks.

During the announcement the group vowed to target US forces and “their intelligence agents” as well as their “internal supporters.”

The blasts follow several bloody attacks across the country including a bombing that targeted a voter registration center in Kabul that killed at least 57 people last week. —