KANDAHAR: A suicide bombing killed three people and injured 12 others on Thursday in the Afghan city of Kandahar, a provincial official said, the heartland of the Taliban authorities that rule the country, AFP reported.
Details surrounding the incident remain limited, with no immediate claim of responsibility. While sporadic explosions have been reported across Afghanistan since the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan on March 11, few have been officially acknowledged by Taliban authorities.
Kandahar, notable for housing Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, holds significant symbolic importance as the traditional heartland of the Taliban movement despite Afghanistan’s capital being Kabul.
Inamullah Samangani, the director of information and culture of Kandahar province, provided preliminary information on the attack, stating, “A suicide attack occurred in which three compatriots were killed and 12 others were wounded.” The explosion targeted a group of civilians gathered outside the New Kabul Bank branch in central Kandahar city, a common location for individuals to collect their salaries.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation as emergency responders rushed to the site. Ambulances were seen transporting the injured, while firefighters and security personnel worked to clear the area strewn with debris and remnants of the blast.
Hospitals refrained from providing detailed information, citing instructions not to engage with the media. Samangani reassured the public that the situation was under control at one of the city’s hospitals where the wounded were being treated, downplaying the severity of injuries.
While the number of bomb blasts and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has decreased since the Taliban assumed power in August 2021, various armed groups, including the regional chapter of the Islamic State, continue to pose a threat, perpetuating instability and insecurity in the war-torn nation.
