Suicide bombing in Afghanistan's Kunduz claims five lives

At least five people have been killed and seven others wounded in a bomb explosion in northeastern Afghanistan, according to local police reports.

The blast occurred at 8:35 am (04:05 GMT) on February 11 near a Kabul Bank branch in Kunduz province, Caliber.Az reports via international media.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The victims included the bank’s security guard, along with four others, including civilians and members of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban group, police confirmed.

Jumadin Khaksar, spokesperson for the Kunduz province police, stated that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated improvised explosive devices.

“The Kunduz province police command is collaborating with relevant organizations to identify the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice,” he added.

Since the US withdrawal in August 2021, followed by the ousting of the government it supported, the number of bombings and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has significantly decreased. However, groups like ISIS (ISIL) continue to pose a threat.

In October 2021, a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Kunduz killed dozens, with the ISIS affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP) claiming responsibility. Similarly, in March 2022, a suicide attack outside a bank in Kandahar killed at least three people, an attack later claimed by the regional ISIS chapter.

Despite these ongoing incidents, Taliban authorities maintain that they have largely defeated the group.

By Tamilla Hasanova