Suicide bomber kills 57 in Kabul

■ Terrorists target people at voter registration centre

An Islamic State suicide bomber killed at least 57 people, including women and children, and wounded 119 outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday in the latest attack on election preparations.

The assaults underscore growing concerns about security in the lead- up to legislative elections scheduled for October 20, which are seen as a test- run for next year’s Presidential poll. There were anguished and angry scenes at Isteqlal Hospital where many of the victims were taken, with relatives criticising the Afghan government for failing to protect their loved ones. “Our patience is running out. This government should take responsibility for the lives of all these innocent people,” a man called Hussain said. “Nobody will go to vote anymore.” The health ministry gave the latest toll for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group. Sheets of paper and passport- sized photos lay scattered amid shattered glass and pools of blood on the street near badly damaged cars — grim evidence of the force of the blast.

Kabul, April 22: An Islamic State suicide bomber carried out an attack at a voter registration centre in the capital Kabul on Sunday, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, said officials form the Afghan interior and public health ministries. Public hemlth Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight are children. Majro added that 119 people were wounded in the attack, among them 17 children and 52 women. “The toll could still rise,” he added.

Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite “apostates.”

The attack comes almost a month after another deadly attack by IS in which a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted attendees celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

A statement issued by the President’s office condemned Sunday’s attack and quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying such “terrorist attacks” won’t prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.