By Aleksandra Serebriakova /Sputnik News/ – Densely populated areas of Kabul have reportedly suffered from a series of explosions on Saturday, the nature of which has not been determined yet.
Multiple blasts have reportedly rocked the capital of Afghanistan on Saturday, AFP said, citing reports from staff on the ground. Some explosions sounded like rockets being fired, journalists revealed.
The area of the city that has reportedly been affected is densely populated. Accordng to the 1TVNews broadcaster, citing the Afghan Health Ministry, the death toll from the blasts has reached 8, while at least 31 people were injured.
Alarms have also been heard around the Green Zone area, which hosts dozens of international businesses; many embassies are located nearby.
Some witnesses say that “more than 10 rockets” have hit different parts of the city, including the Pul-e-Mahmood Khan area. Posted photos have also shown holes from rockets in at least two buildings.
According to circulating reports from the site, locals have also heard gun shots in the central area of Kabul. A tweet suggesting that shots had been fired at Kabul’s Pule Baghe Omomi was later deleted.
Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry said that two small “sticky bomb” blasts occurred during the morning (21 November), with one reportedly hitting a police car, leading to the death of a policeman and three others being injured, according to AFP.
No group has taken responsibility for the explosions so far.
Pompeo is to Meet With Afghan Government and Taliban
The blasts occurred shortly before the separate meetings of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the Afghan government and the Taliban, which will take place on Saturday in Qatar amid the peace process negotiations over the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
The Taliban movement has pledged not to carry out attacks against urban areas of the country in the past, citing the terms of the US withdrawal agreement that was signed in Qatar in February.
US President Donald Trump earlier announced that the US would withdraw its last troops from Afghanistan by Christmas, a pledge that was welcomed by the Taliban, according to the group’s spokesperson.
