40 killed in Kabul suicide attack
Kabul: At least 40 people were killed and over 30 injured on Thursday in a suicide attack inside a cultural centre here, the Interior Ministry has confirmed.
The explosion took place around 10.30 a.m. in the Qala-e-Nazar area, Nasrat Rahimi, the ministry spokesman told Efe news, adding that the victims included women and children.
Rahimi said the building where the attack took place also houses the office of the Sada-E-Afghanistan (Afghan Voice) news agency and a mosque.
A ministry official told the BBC that the suicide blast was followed by two other explosions in the area.
The attack has not yet been claimed by any insurgent group.
The Taliban have issued a statement saying that they were not involved.
According to one survivor, social activists had gathered at the centre for a meeting when the blast occurred, reports Tolo News.
The police have said that there were at least three suicide bombers who also used grenades in the attack.
The toll was likely to increase as many of the injured were in critical condition.
On Monday, eight people were killed and two injured in a suicide bomb attack near an office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital city's Shashdarken neighbourhood.
The Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Modi should leverage his ties with world leaders to de-escalate war in West Asia: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.
He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.
"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.
"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.
Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."
He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."
Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.
Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.
"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.
On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.
He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.
"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.
Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.
