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A suicide blast outside a bank in Afghanistan’s Kandahar city on Thursday resulted in the tragic loss of at least 21 lives, with several others sustaining injuries, as reported by BBC, citing a doctor from the regional hospital.
Contrary to the doctor’s account, local police stated that three individuals lost their lives and 12 others were wounded in the blast.
The explosion primarily targeted civilians who had gathered at the bank premises for cash withdrawals, according to the Kandahar police department’s statement.
“The victims were civilians, commonly our compatriots gather there to collect their salaries,” an official told AFP.
Victims, along with approximately 50 injured individuals, were rushed to Mirwais Hospital, the largest medical facility in the region, as confirmed by a doctor speaking anonymously to BBC.
Kandahar city, situated in the southern province sharing its name, serves as the residence of Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, a significant figure within the Taliban movement.
Following the blast, Taliban authorities cordoned off the area, restricting access for journalists. Nonetheless, eyewitnesses observed ambulances transporting unconscious or deceased individuals from the scene.
Cleanup operations were underway, with bloodstains, torn clothes, and scattered shoes marking the aftermath of the tragic incident.
Despite inquiries, hospitals declined to provide information to the media, citing directives instructing them against engaging with reporters.
While the frequency of bomb blasts and suicide attacks has decreased since the Taliban’s assumption of power in August 2021, several armed groups, including regional factions of Daesh, continue to pose a threat.
Although numerous explosions have been reported across Afghanistan since the commencement of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 11, Taliban officials have confirmed few of these incidents
