Kabul: Two embassy employees and at least one civilian were killed in a suicide bombing outside the Russian Embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Monday, according to a local police official and a Russian state news agency. Unknown was whether the attacker set off the explosives on his own or if they went off when security personnel shot him.
There were conflicting reports that between eight and ten people had died, so a higher death toll was anticipated.
According to the RIA Novosti news agency, an explosion occurred when a Russian diplomat announced the names of applicants for visas to the crowd gathered outside the embassy. Later, the agency reported that two embassy employees had died, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to Khalid Zadran, the chief of police in Kabul, at least one civilian was killed and ten others were injured.
According to Zadran, the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber. Before the bomber could approach the crowd gathered outside the embassy, he claimed, security personnel had identified him. Security personnel shot the attacker, according to Zadran. It was unclear right away whether the attacker managed to trigger the explosion before being shot or if the gunfire actually set the explosives off.
According to Zadran, a police cordon has been placed around the area while an investigation is carried out.
The explosion happened "in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the consular section of the Russian Embassy" in the Afghan capital, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The ministry reported that "an unknown militant detonated an explosive device." "Two members of the diplomatic mission were killed as a result of the attack, and Afghan citizens also suffered casualties."
The explosion, the latest to hit the nation in the year since the Taliban seized power, was not immediately attributed to anyone. Since the former insurgents took control of the nation last year as U.S. and NATO troops were completing their withdrawal, the local affiliate of the Islamic State group has increased attacks against the Taliban and civilians.
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