KABUL: The death toll from a suicide bombing in Kandahar city of Afghanistan early Thursday has surged to at least 20 people, according to a hospital source at Mirwais Hospital, a major medical facility in the southern city, AFP reported.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to AFP, revealed that Mirwais Hospital had received 20 dead bodies since the morning following the explosion. The attack, which targeted a bank, resulted in several casualties, with several others sustaining injuries.
Initial reports from Taliban officials indicated that three people had been killed and 12 wounded in the bombing. However, a doctor at the regional hospital quoted by BBC provided a higher death toll of at least 21 persons.
The blast mainly killed civilians who had gathered in front of the bank to conduct financial transactions, as confirmed by the Kandahar police department. The victims were described as civilians, many of whom were likely present to collect their salaries.
The injured persons, numbering around 50, were immediately transported to Mirwais Hospital for medical treatment. The hospital, being the largest in the region, played a critical role in responding to the emergency.
Kandahar city, situated in the southern province of the province, holds significant strategic importance as the birthplace of the Taliban movement and the location of Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s residence.
Taliban authorities immediately cordoned off the area surrounding the bank, restricting access to journalists. However, eyewitnesses observed ambulances ferrying unconscious or deceased persons away from the scene of the explosion.
The aftermath of the bombing saw extensive efforts by firefighters and security personnel to clear the area, with bloodstains, clothing remnants, and discarded footwear scattered on the ground.
Despite the Taliban’s assertion of declining bomb blasts and suicide attacks since assuming power in August 2021, various armed groups, including the regional chapter of Daesh, continue to pose a threat in Afghanistan.
While multiple explosions have been reported across the country since the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan on March 11, confirmation from Taliban officials regarding these incidents remains limited.
