Kabul: A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into the main gate of Indian embassy in Kabul Monday morning, killing more than 40 people including Defence Attaché, a Counsellor and two more Indian workers of the Embassy, confirmed a statement issued from the office of the President Hamid Karzai. Nearly 150 people were wounded according to the information provided by Health and Interior ministries. Most of the casualties were civilians.
Officials of the Health Ministry, in their initial statements, said that at least 28 people were killed and 141 were wounded in the attack.
A statement from the Interior Ministry confirmed the killing of more than 30 civilians and at least 6 policement policemen. ‘Most of the casualties were visa applicants or the innocent people working in a market close to the Embassy’ added a spokesman to the Interior.
He also said that the gate of the embassy was completely destroyed in the attack. The embassy is situated near the office of the Interior Ministry.
Normally, the Taliban militants took responsibility of the suicide attacks in Afghanistan but they denied their involvement in this incident. A spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said, ‘We have not carried this attack’.
‘Contrary to the other suicide attacks, this was not aimed at security forces, but was well-planned to target the Indian Embassy’ said the press release of the Interior Ministry. ‘Our initial reports say that the terrorists have carried this attack with the cooperation of the intelligence agencies which have been active in the region’ added the release.
President Hamid Karzai and U.N. special representative in Afghanistan Kai Eidi have strongly condemned the attack.
‘India has made a significant contribution to development and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. Resorting to these types of hellish acts will not damage the friendly relationship between Afghanistan and India’ commented the President in a statement.
‘In this morning’s suicide bomb attack outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul city that has resulted in the death and injure of very large number of civilians can only be described as a cowardly and heinous crime. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. In no culture, no country, and no religion has any excuse or justification for such acts’ said Kai Eidi in a statement issued by UNAMA office in Kabul.