3 killed, 30 injured as blast hits Mohaqqiq convoy

KABUL (PAN): Three civilians were killed and 30 others, including six guards of a prominent politician Mohammad Mohaqqiq, the likely target, were wounded when a large blast rocked the heavily fortified Kabul city on Tuesday, police and witnesses said.

The roadside bomb went off as a three-vehicle convoy of Mohaqqiq, the ethnic Hazara minority leader, had just driven past the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) office in Pul-i-Surkh locality on the western outskirts of the city around 9am, police said.

The improvised explosive device had been planted in the area to target Mohaqqiq, said Kabul crime investigation chief Brig. Gen. Mohammad Zahir.

He said three civilians were killed and 30 others, including bodyguards of Mohaqqiq, were wounded in the blast.

Eyewitness Ajmal said he saw at least three dead bodies and several injured people, including a woman, laying at the site. Moments later, ambulances arrived at the scene to shift the wounded to hospitals, he said.

The Estiqlal hospital director, Dr. Ali Ihsan, confirmed receiving 22 injured people, including three women and a child, at the hospital. He added it was not clear as yet if the injured included security officials.

A Pajhwok reporter at the scene saw blown out plate glass windows shattered on the sidewalk and street. A police pick up vehicle was also destroyed in the explosion.

The attack happened as President Hamid Karzai announced that Afghan security forces would take over responsibility for the entire country.
“Our security and defence forces will now be in the lead,” he said in a speech to a ceremony held in this regard in Kabul. “From here, all security responsibility and all security leadership will be taken by our brave forces.”

Mohaqqiq said he did not know how he survived as it was a huge blast that took place when he was riding in his vehicle together with his security guards.

mds/ma

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