Suicide bomber kills dozens, including many children at voter registration centre
MOTHERS lining up with children to register to vote in local elections were targeted by a suicide bomber in Afghan capital Kabul, in an Islamic State attack that killed at least 57 people and injured another 100 more.
The sickening assault is the latest on voter registration centres in the embattled country to specifically target civilians, with the splinter Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) now combating both the President Ashraf Ghani’s government and the Taliban.
The large explosion was in the western suburb of Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi’ite Hazara minority and about 18km from where coalition forces including the Australian Defence Force are based at Kabul International Airport.
Authorities have warned the death toll from the large blast, that shattered windows several kilometres away, was expected to rise in coming hours.
At least 21 women have so far been confirmed dead and five children but 65 more have been seriously injured.
The large explosion was in the western suburb of Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi’ite Hazara minority and about 18km from where coalition forces including the Australian Defence Force are based at Kabul International Airport.
Authorities have warned the death toll from the large blast, that shattered windows several kilometres away, was expected to rise in coming hours.
At least 21 women have so far been confirmed dead and five children but 65 more have been seriously injured.
There had already been at least six other attacks on voter registration centres set up in school and community halls for elections to be held this October, with one just last week killing three police officers and wounding several civilians.
Within hours of the latest assault, the ISKP, which was formally proscribed as a terrorist group by the Australian parliament late last year, claimed responsibility.
Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials were issuing identity cards as part of the registration process for around 10 million voters across Afghanistan.
President Ghani issued a statement condemning the attack and said it “cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process”.
Parliament is still sitting three years after its term officially expired and further delays would seriously weaken already fragile confidence in the Afghan political system.
