Taliban denies involvement in Kabul blast, condemns attack

The Taliban on Wednesday denied any involvement in the car bomb explosion in the Afghan capital that left at least 80 dead and more than 300 wounded and condemned the attack on the civilian population.

"This blast has nothing to do with the Mujahidins," the Taliban said in a statement released by their spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, adding that the Taliban never carry out such attacks with no targets, reports Efe.

"The Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban call themselves) condemn those blasts carried out against civilians and in which civilians suffer casualties without a clear target," it said.

The explosion occurred in the morning near Zanbaq Square close to the embassies of Germany, Turkey and Japan.

No armed group has yet claimed responsibility.

Kabul Police spokesperson Basir Mujahid told Efe that according to preliminary investigation, the vehicle, a small sewage service truck, was loaded with explosives and detonated in an area with heavy traffic.

"The objective is not yet clear, but it was close to the German embassy," said Mujahid, adding that the area had been cordoned off.

The powerful blast, which was heard in several parts of the city, happened amid the holy month of Ramadan and during rush hour when people were going to their work places. During Ramadan, work starts an hour late.

The last two major bomb blasts in Kabul, the last being in early May and also occurring in the diplomatic area, were claimed by the Islamic State although the Taliban also carried out attacks which left numerous civilian casualties in recent weeks.

In early March, two Taliban attacks on a police station and an intelligence services office in Kabul left 29 dead and 122 wounded, many of them civilians.

In January, the Taliban launched a double attack in the vicinity of the Parliament that left 30 dead and 80 wounded.

--IANS

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