Two people were killed and eleven others were injured this Monday in a reported suicide bombing near the Russian embassy in Kabul. The attacker detonated explosives while approaching the embassy complex, according to local authorities.
The blast occurred in the morning on Darul Aman Street, in the southwest area of Afghanistan’s capital. Security officials indicated that the bomber aimed at embankment security personnel and detonated the device before reaching his intended target, according to the police chief for the district.
The explosion happened in a street area cleared for bystanders and visitors alike. Authorities confirmed that two civilians and one Afghan worker affiliated with the Russian Embassy were among the dead, while eleven others were wounded, including a member of Taliban security forces who was in the vicinity at the time.
Towards the official reaction, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported to Interfax that the attack occurred very close to the consulate, resulting in casualties among embassy staff and Afghan civilians alike.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident. However, the Islamic State faction has historically been implicated in similar attacks and has been cited as a persistent security threat following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan.
Russia, though not widely recognized for formal diplomatic ties with the Taliban, has been among the countries that pursued a relationship with the Islamist movement and has kept its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan operational, despite limited formal recognition by much of the international community.
The security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated since the Taliban took control, with numerous attacks underscoring the challenges faced by the new administration in maintaining stability and protecting civilians.
Earlier, in August, a separate suicide attack in Kabul targeted a mosque and resulted in the deaths of at least twenty-one people and injuries to around thirty, highlighting ongoing volatility in the region.