BFF-47 Seven dead in suicide attack at Afghan ministry: officials

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BFF-47

AFGHANISTAN-UNREST LEAD

Seven dead in suicide attack at Afghan ministry: officials

KABUL, July 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A suicide attacker blew himself up in
front of a government ministry in Kabul on Sunday as workers were leaving
their offices, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 15,
officials said, in the latest deadly violence in Afghanistan.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion that
police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said happened at the rural rehabilitation
and development ministry around 4:30 pm.

Civilians and security forces were among the seven dead, Stanikzai said.

The death toll was confirmed by an Afghan security source.

Ministry spokesman Fraidoon Azhand said the bomber struck at a security
gate as employees were exiting the compound during rush hour.

But it was not clear if the ministry was the target of the attack.

Stanikzai said security forces and a vehicle belonging to foreign advisers
to the ministry were in the vicinity at the time of the attack.

There were no foreign casualties, he added.

It is the second time in just over a month that the ministry has been
caught up in a suicide attack.

On June 11 a bomber blew himself up as ministry workers queued for an early
bus home during the holy month of Ramadan, killing at least 13 people and
wounding 31.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack.

– Record civilian casualties –

Sunday’s blast came hours after a UN report was released showing a record
number of civilians killed in the first six months of 2018, with militant
attacks and suicide bombs the leading causes of death.

The toll of 1,692 fatalities was one percent more than a year earlier and
the highest for the period since the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) began keeping records in 2009.

Another 3,430 people were wounded in the war, down five percent from the
same period last year, the report said.

The record high death toll came despite an unprecedented ceasefire by
Afghan security forces and the Taliban last month that was largely respected
by both sides, UNAMA said.

The ceasefire for the first three days of Eid was marked by scenes of
jubilation as security forces and Taliban fighters celebrated the Islamic
holiday, raising hopes that peace was possible after nearly 17 years of
conflict.

But the suspension of hostilities was marred by two suicide attacks in the
eastern province of Nangarhar that killed dozens of people and were claimed
by IS, which was not part of the ceasefire.

Suicide bombs and “complex” attacks that involve several militants
accounted for 1,413 casualties — 427 deaths and 986 injuries — up 22
percent from a year earlier.

UNAMA attributed 52 percent of those casualties to IS, mainly in Kabul and
Nangarhar where the group established a stronghold after emerging in
Afghanistan in 2014.

The Taliban was responsible for 40 percent.

While the Taliban is Afghanistan’s largest militant group and holds or
contests more territory than any other, IS has repeatedly demonstrated its
ability to carry out devastating attacks in urban areas.

BSS/AFP/ARS/1952 hrs